Experiment 089
by Sweet June Rain
Summary: Boundaries created by mankind are tested and broken, Ranger faces treason to set those boundaries back on a mission to get a package. This package is much more than it seems, Ranger and the people around him will have to face hell and high water to protect the package from those who want what lies within it. (OOCs, Ocs, AU, and as always, it's a BABE!)
1. Chapter 1

(I had an idea sitting in my head for a bit, I should just publish original work and be done with it lol!)

Stephanie Plum isn't mine, if she was, she'd be with Ranger, and Joe and Helen would not be here!

Summary: Boundaries created by all of mankind are tested and broken, Ranger faces treason to set those boundaries back on a mission to get a package. This package is much more than it seems, Ranger and the people around him will have to face hell and high water to protect the package. (OOCs, Ocs, AU, and as always, it's a BABE!)

**Experiment 089**

"This is treason," A voice said, horse with the severity of the situation, "You're asking me to go against my country and kill military men."

Carlos Manoso, also known as Ranger, looked up at the group of people who were watching him with careful eyes. This was madness! They were expecting him to go through this mission?! They were expecting him to go off and kill a group of US military men and scientist just to get a package? He couldn't fathom how important the package was to the people sitting in front of him.

"Why are you giving me this mission? You know how close I am to the US military," Ranger said softly, looking over the file.

"That's why we gave it to you, Carlos," A woman said softly, her pale grey eyes resting on his handsome face, "Is because of your close proximity to the US government."

"And remember, ," A man said sitting up, looking Ranger with sharp brown eyes, "your loyalty lies with us first, before the US government."

"The US government has been playing a role, no human should ever play," another woman said pulling her glasses off, "They've been playing God, and there are are boundaries that they know of, and crossed, I understand your loyalty to them, Carlos, but the US government must be punished, destroy the laboratory, and bring us the item that made them cross the boundaries."

"Jeanne Ellen will be going with you, since you will need a sniper to get past the gate." The grey eyed woman said, "Please, be quick and careful about this mission, this is a Red level mission, if something were to go wrong, please, abort the mission, and destroy the package."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ranger walked out the large office room, his mind in turmoil, why did It have to be him to do this? He was about to commit treason, and for what, a package?

Ranger leaned against the wall, putting a hand over his face, his eyes closed. He really didn't want to do this, that would mean that nearly 15 years of service would be for naught, he would be a marked man for sure, unless the Suits covered it up and he had a feeling that they would.

As Ranger leaned against the wall, he heard heavy footsteps come close to them, and then stop, right beside him.

"So, they choose you," A man said softly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning on the wall beside Ranger, "Fucking shame, I know you're dedicated to the government…."

"Yeah, well, I hope this package is worth the treason I'll face," Ranger said softly, looking over to the man and giving him a look, "I thought you were off on some mission, Diesel?"

"I was, you know how those suits are, they give me those weird missions, vampires, demons, fairies…..the last mission was to calm down a mermaid, she wasn't happy at all, nearly killed me," Diesel said before he turned to Ranger, "Why do you get all the action pack mission, while I get all the Disney themed ones?"

"I don't know, maybe because you are a demon," Ranger said with a chuckle, looking over to Diesel, who made a sound and nodded his head, "Besides, I think your missions are much dangerous than my missions."

"I don't think so, they're just magical crazy creatures, you get to go after the dangerous terrorists and dictators." Diesel said, running a hand through his blond hair, "So, you gonna go and see you know who, before you go?"

Ranger nodded his head, ignoring the cooing sounds Diesel made, "This may be my last mission, Diesel, this one could end my life."

Diesel turned to Ranger and said, "I'll pop in a bit while you're gone, just to make sure she's alright."

Ranger nodded his head and said in a rough voice, "You're a good friend, Diesel, even if you're annoying," pushing himself off the wall and walking out the white hallway.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ranger stared silently at the lump in the middle of the narrow queen sized bed. He watched the lump breath softly in their sleep, the rise and fall of their body almost hypnotizing. He liked to watch Stephanie Plum sleep after a mission, but he needed to watch her sleep now, before this one, due to the fact that this mission would be the one to test him, and or kill him. He spent the last few days reviewing the files given to him by the Suits from the Agency. He had been given pictures of symbols and shapes to look for on the package. He had been given the names of all the scientist and doctors he would have to kill. He would of course destroy the building in a massive explosion, to prevent any more of what was happening to continue. He would label as a traitor and hunted down to the death. He hoped that the suits had a plan, that they would cover this whole thing up, use the pull they have in the government or something.

Ranger let out a rare sigh, and got up to leave, all he needed was to look at Stephanie, to feel better; Tank would tell her where he went when she would make her way to the bails bond office, in the morning.

Range had turned to leave the bedroom but a soft, "Ranger?" had him stopping. Ranger turned and in the darkness he could see his Babe, his Stephanie, sitting up to look at him. Ranger heard Stephanie shift on the bed, and turn on the bedside lamp. Both people in the room blinked against the harsh light the small lamp gave off. Range could only smile at the sight of his Babe. Her brown curls were flying everywhere, and she was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. she was wearing a thin black t-shirt, and possibly nothing underneath.

"Ranger, what are you doing here?" Stephanie asked through a yawn, "It's 3 in the morning, you could have come a little later…"

Ranger smiled at the teasing tone she took on, god how he loved this woman. Ranger walked over to Stephanie and sat down on the bed close to her. he cupped her cheek and said in a soft, "Babe, I'm going on a mission, I don't know when I'll be back, just take care of yourself, call Tank if you need anything, and I have a friend who'll pop in on you, just to make sure you're okay."

Stephanie leaned into the hand cupping her cheek, placing her own hand over the hand holding her face. She had this inkling feeling that Ranger wasn't tell her something. She wouldn't push him for the answers, she'd let him tell her when he was ready, "Just get home safely, that's all I want from you, Ranger."

Ranger leaned down and kissed her on her lips and said in a soft voice, "Take care of yourself, Stephanie."

"And you go save the world, Batman," Stephanie said with a smile, as Ranger let go of her face to stand up.

Ranger smiled softly and said, "I will, Babe," before he turned and walked out her bedroom, leaving Stephanie on the bed, watching him leave her behind.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Jeanne Ellen Borrows watched with grim satisfaction as the last of the men guarding the laboratory went down with a sniper bullet between their eyes. She slid the empty clip from her weapon of choice and slid a fresh pack into it. She wasted no time sliding down the large tree she perched herself in to shoot men off as if they were nothing but fish in a barrel. Jeanne swung her short hair back and said to her partner, "Alright, cowboy, let's go finish this fucked up mission, I would like to get some pussy before the military police find us and shoots us in our sleep."

Ranger nodded his head to his partner and together, the two were running across the field, blending in the darkness in their black suits. Ranger had been mildly surprise to find out that the laboratory was located in heartland America, in North Dakota. He had expecting it to be somewhere underground, in a mountain, or a dessert. He would have never thought about a farm surrounded by wheat. It was a plain white building with no windows, surrounded by a sold black fence that was ten feet high and had lethal look barb wire on top of it.

Jeanne had taken care of the outer security and the guards inside the fenced in area. They maybe had 30 minutes until back up came. Ranger wanted to be out of the building with the package in less than 15 minutes.

Jeanne picked up speed as she got closer to the fence, and with a kick to her feet, was over it landing gracefully on the other side. Ranger mimicked her moves as well, landing right beside her. they sped off to the entrance and forced their way in. Ranger had taken out something to scramble the curcuits and cameras in the building, while Jeanne placed plastic explosives on the wall as they ran deeper into the laboratory. They killed everyone they ran into; scientist, guards military, no one was spared, just like the suits told them to do. The package would be found on the fourth floor in the area deemed top secret.

Ranger kicked down the door blocking the entrance of the fourth floor, and walked into the dimly lit area, Jeanne waling in behind him. He had to keep his emotions in check, as his took in what he saw. Jeanne wasn't so good at keep her reactions in check. She had let it all out.

"Holy shit," Jeanne breathed, her eyes wide with horror, "What the fuck were they doing in this place?"

Ranger looked around the place, and whispered, "They were playing god."

The walls of the corridor was lined with large human sized tubes, which were filled with blue liquid and persevered humans, or they used to be humans. The bodies were mutated, some had several heads, others had none. Many had several arms and legs, twisted and warped around torsos and heads, while others had no limbs but sported two torsos. The faces on these creatures, or those that had heads and faces were etched in pain, as if the lives they lived had been full of constant pain.

Jeanne walked past Ranger and said, "Fucking A, if I had known what these freaks were doing, I wouldn't have signed my life off to the military in the first place….what were they trying to get out this whole thing?"

"I don't know, but we're leveling this place," Ranger said as they moved quickly down the fourth floor corridor.

They raced past the tubes, past rooms that had floor to wall windowing, as if they were observation rooms. Inside of them there were more grotesque creatures, these creatures were alive, and were letting out loud sounds of agony. They kept running until they came to the end of the corridor, in front of a single door that had a sign on it which read;' Authorized Personnel Only Beyond This Point. Alpha Level Badge Required.'

Jeanne pulled her pistol out and said, "Fuck a badge," before she shot the key pad and badge pad three times. Ranger kicked the door down and together the two entered a tiny room that was littered with papers, books and a single metal box, sitting on top of the papers on a metal desk. Ranger paused and walked up to the box, seeing strange symbols written across it. he touched the metal box expecting it to be cold, but found it warm, and thrumming softly, as if something was inside of it, like a machine. This was the package, why was it in this tiny office, as if it was nothing important?

Ranger turned to Jeanne and said, "Found the package, let's get the fuck out of here, before reinforcement comes."

(~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie let out a sound as she sat down on her lump couch in her sparsely furnished living room. She pulled the bad of full of greasy fast food to her chest, kicked her sneakers off and propped her pink sock covered feet on the coffee table. She tried to get her mind off of Ranger, but she couldn't. A week ago, he had kissed her and left her room. The kiss he had given her, it had felt like more of a goodbye, as if it would be his last kiss, and he had wanted to savoir it. Ranger was coming back, he always did, no matter how dangerous it was. He had to come back to her, Stephanie didn't know what to do without him.

Stephanie grabbed a fry and stuffed it in her, trying to ignore the burning sensation from her eyes, as the tears threatened to fall.

Luckily the tears were interrupted by the tumbling of her locks coming undone, and then the door opening to reveal Diesel, who was wielding a bag of doughnuts and a case of beer.

"Oh ho!" Diesel said, kicking the door shut a smile on his face, "Starting the junk food party without me, well, I'll take these Boston creams and this beer back to my pad, since you have enough-"

"Get your ass over here with the sugar and booze!" Stephanie said, her eyes serious, but she had a smile on her face, "I could use more blood clotting teeth rotting junk!"

Diesel smiled and walked over to the woman sitting beside her and passing her a beer and a pastry. They watched some television in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other. Stephanie had never known that Diesel and Ranger were best friends. Then again, there was much about Ranger Stephanie didn't know. Two days after Ranger left for his mission, Diesel had pop up with junk food and booze and a shoulder for her to cry on. Diesel was a good friend to have in this time of need.

"So how was bounty hunting?" Diesel asked, after he finished his second beer, "Must have been tired and teeth pulling, you got two Big Macs."

"Whatever, I had to chase this one skip down for ten blocks, and he as butt naked and covered in baby oil," Stephanie said with a huff, "And then Joe got on about changing my career and settling down with him and popping out babies."

"He such a dick," Diesel said in the gayest voice he could make up, "OMG girlfriend, you need to drop him like a bad fad."

Stephanie let out a snort, before she dissolved into laughter, holding her side. Diesel ignored her and turned the channel saying, "That Joe, he's a man stuck in his ways, he's never going to be supportive of you and your decisions. "

Stephanie nodded her head and said softly, "Yeah, but my mother wants me to marry him so badly, she keeps telling me that he's my last chance."

"Your mother Is like that man too, set in her ways, though, she's never going to support you for anything you do, Stephanie, I'd think long and hard about the people you have in your life, some want you to succeed, while others want to keep you back." Diesel said with a yawn, before he perked up looking at the TV, "Hello…"

Stephanie sat up too, watching as the news reporter on the local news went on about a deadly explosion in North Dakota. It had been a farm research facility, everyone in the building had died from the explosion, the FBI had been called in, but it had been deemed that the explosion had been caused by chemicals and gases from the facility.

Diesel frowned and said in a soft voice, "Odd, I didn't know….." before he got up and left the living room.

Stephanie watched him leave, but then she turned back to the Television, to watch the woman on air drabble on about the deadly explosion. Diesel came back moments later with a smile on his face, "Okay, Steph! I could use some more food, let's say I go get a pizza and more booze."

"Sounds like a plan," Stephanie said with a smile, before she turned the news off.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ranger was getting cabin fever. That's all it could be, he and Jeanne had be debriefed from their mission, but were not forced to stay in this hotel room until one of the Suits came and gave them the green to go home. On a further odd note, The Suits let them keep the metal box, stating that Ranger now had to watch over the box, until they said so. That had been four days ago.

"They need to hurry up," Jeanne growled from her spot on the couch, "There's only so much I can do in a hotel room, and they left me with a man…bleh."

Who knew that Jeanne loved the female population, after the first time they had sex, Jeanne had turned to Ranger and said, "Thanks for confirming it, pal, I'd rather eat pussy than fuck a dick, later….." got up and left. Ranger hadn't known if he should have been insulted or what. To top it off, Jeanne was even worse than Lester in the picking up girls from the bar, she took three home with every night.

"I'm sorry if I'm lacking the parts you so desire, Jeanne," Ranger said with a chuckle, sitting on the other couch, "I apologize for being a man."

"Damn right!" Jeanne said, before she turned the TV off and turned to Ranger, "Hey, guess what I stole from that government lab?"

Jeanne pulled out a battered leather bound book and tossed it on the coffee table in between them. Ranger leaned forward and said, "Why did you steal this book?"

"Because, it was open when were in that dinky little office, and it had the same symbols written in it that are found on the metal box." Jeanne said, sitting up, "they're both connected in some ways."

"Oh are they," Ranger asked picking the book up and flipping the fragile pages, "Jeanne this book looks very old."

Ranger turn to the end of the book and said, "This is a very old book, it was made almost 2000 years ago."

"Impossible, books weren't created until at least the medieval period!" Jeanne said, but she looked at the date and said, "Holy shit, and it's in this condition too? Something's going on here, Manoso."

Both Jeanne and Ranger turned to the dining table where the metal box sat. it was making odd sounds and letting off cold steam.

"**Gestation period has been completed, incubation period is done, decompressing and the evacuation of liquid from the incubation chamber has been started**." A female voice said just as red liquid began to seep from the sides of the metal box.

"Holy shit," Jeanne said getting up and going over to the metal box, "Manoso, what the fuck is going on?!"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Jeanne." Ranger said, walking over to the metal box, "gestation, incubation, those are words you associate with-"

"**Decompressing and evacuation of liquid is done**," The voice stated again, "**Experiment 089 is complete**."

"Experiment 089…." Ranger said, going over to the metal box and opening it. Warm steam blew up softly, and Ranger had to take a step back as tiny cries filled the area.

Jeanne looked down in the box, turned to Ranger and said, "Congratulations, you're a dad!"

The inside of the metal box was cushioned with something soft and slick and there, resting at the bottom of the box, was a baby, a new born baby, covered in a red liquid, crying loudly.

"So this is the real package," Jeanne said looking at the infant, "Well, don't just stand there looking shock, Manoso, pick it up!"

TBC…

(Well, this is a good start to an action story? Reviews and feedback are like speed to me, the more I get, the faster I write, _hint, hint_..)


	2. Pandora's Box

Chapter 2, enjoy!

Not Mine...whatever...

Pandora's Box

Range lifted the child up from inside the metal box, while Jeanne went off to get towels, so they could wipe the infant off. The baby was still crying, squirming in his arms as they cried.

"Here we go," Jeanne said, coming back with several towels, "Now let's wipe down your child!"

"And how did this become my child?" Ranger asked, as Jeanne gently wiped down the infant, who was slowly calming down.

"Well, the Suits did leave you in charge of the box, and what was inside of the box, so it's your baby," Jeanne said, taking the child from Ranger's arms and wrapping it in a soft bed sheet, "So, is it a girl or boy?"

"Check, Jeanne, I don't know," Ranger said, watching Jeanne pull the covers off the infant, "So?"

"You have a daughter," Jeanne said, smiling and giving Ranger the baby, "Here, you stay here with the baby, and I'll go out and get baby stuff, she'll be hungry soon."

Jeanne rummaged through her purse and asked, "How much money do you have on you, I don't want to use my credit card, the government might be monitoring it."

"I have 800 on me," Ranger said as Jeanne pulled his wallet out his pants pockets, "Don't go crazy, Jeanne, buy only the essentials."

"Yeah, yeah, buy all the good shit, I heard you," Jeanne said pulling a wad of cash from her purse, "I'll be back quickly, I'll bring the baby formula and then I can go back out and get all the cute girly shit!"

Ranger shook his head, as Jeanne ran out the hotel room with a squeal, who knew Jeanne was a baby woman?

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"The package has been deposited," A soft voice said to the person standing in front a window, overlooking a busy city, "Experiment 089 is where she should be."

The person lifted their head and said, "Good, thank you, this will make capturing her easier."

The woman who delivered the message ran her eyes over the person standing by the window, "Do you think it was wise to let the Agency know what was going on in the US government."

"It had to be done," The person said softly, "The government was getting too head strong, believing that 089 would be their weapon of mass destruction, no, 089, she has a higher calling, and I'll be damned if the US stops us."

"Now that she is awake again, others will be after her too; do you think the man watching over her will be strong enough?"

"He has allies, and yes, I do believe he will be strong enough," The person said softly, a smile on their face, "He will have to be, if he plans on keeping 089 from me."

The person looked down at their wrist which had a symbol on it. The symbol was enclosed in circle that had been woven from thorns and flowers. There was a cross in the middle of the circle that had been woven with flowers and thorns as well. A body in the shape of a woman was attached to the cross, head bent, covered in thorns and flowers.

"And so, you live again….."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Of course, you have to watch over the child, Carlos," The woman with soft grey eyes said with a smile, looking down at the sleeping baby, "We told you to look over the package, and the metal box was protecting the package, she is your responsibility now."

Ranger looked down at the sleeping infant, wrapped in a soft pink blanket. He had contacted the Suits, telling them that the metal box had held a child in it. they had arrived seconds after Ranger made the call, to look at the baby. There had been hush whispering and talking. Jeanne had hidden the book she had stolen from the lab, so the Suits wouldn't find it. it was now tucked neatly in the baby carrier she had bought.

"Why was she in the metal box to begin with?" Jeanne asked, walking over to Ranger with a baby bottle, "What's going on?"

"That metal box was a transporter," The man with brown eyes said, looking over to the box, "They were going to transfer the child to a place where even we could not reach. The child was still incubating so they had to place her in a portable incubator to prevent her from dying."

"You mean to tell us that she was created in the lab," Ranger said, earning a nod, "Impossible."

"Look at her torso, you'll notice something missing from her." The woman with glasses said softly, from her spot near the metal box.

Ranger pulled the blanket off the infant, and look. It was Jeanne who spotted it out, "She has no belly button."

"Which meant, she was never born or created from a sperm or egg," The man said solemnly, "She is the product of advance technology, years and years ahead of its time."

"Are we allowed to know about this technology?" Ranger asked, earning a head shake from the Suits, "How long am I supposed to look after this child?"

"It all depends," The woman said before she turned to the other Suits and said, "IT's time we leave, we will take the box, Carlos, Jeanne, you two are free to leave, you will be safe from persecution."

"FINALLY!" Jeanne said, running into the bedroom to grab her things, "I'm getting the fuck out of here!"

Ranger slid the infant into the carrier Jeanne picked out for her, and made to get up, but the man with brown eyes, grabbed his elbow and said in a grave voice, "Protect this infant with your life, Manoso, only let those you trust around her."

The Suit let go of Ranger and then the three of them left with a soft puff of smoke. Jeanne walked up to Ranger and said, "They were serious, what's so important about this baby?"

Ranger looked over to the sleeping infant and said, "I don't know, but I'll do what they told me to do, protect her with my life."

"I'll help out too, since I know your pants with babies, but I just love babies!" Jeanne cooed, lifting the carrier up and looking down at the sleeping baby, "So, are you going to tell curly top and the blond ape?"

"If you mean Diesel and Stephanie, then yes, they are a part of my lies too, Jeanne," Ranger said, as he went to pack his stuff, "I'll call Tank to pick us up at the airport."

"What are you going to call her, you just can't call her baby, or it, or girl," Jeanne said, watching the baby open her amber eyes, "She's so fucking cute."

Ranger had to agree with Jeanne, this was a beautiful baby, with downy soft black hair and milk chocolate skin. She had cute chubby baby cheeks, and small amber eyes that were strangely focus, taking in everything around her. she had yet to make a sound, but she did move and wiggle.

"I don't know what to call her," Ranger admitted, looking at the baby, "I didn't think I'd be in charge of her."

"Well, I'll name her then!" Jeanne said, her eyes bright, "Let's call her….Heidi, since her skin reminds me of Swiss chocolates, and she's so cute! Heidi is a cute name!"

"Fine, we'll name her Heidi," Ranger said, with a roll of his eyes, Stephanie was rubbing off on him, "Now, let's go and get back to Trenton."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie groaned as a heavy body jumped on her bed, "Diesel….get out, it's too early for your mess.."

"It's never too early for my mess!" Diesel said sitting up and shaking Stephanie, "Wake up woman, you have to make money and pay your bills!"

Damn it, Diesel had a point. Stephanie let out a groan and sat up in her bed, glaring at Diesel, who held a bag of doughnuts up in his hand, "Well, at least you were smart enough to get junk food."

"I know how to handle a waking Stephanie Plum," Diesel said, his voice serious, "You feed them sugary sweets and give them strong coffee."

"Indeed," Stephanie said, grabbing the bag and digging out a doughnut, "mmm, doughnuts!"

Diesel got up and said, "Coffee's waiting for you, hurry up and get dressed, we have to leave!"

Stephanie finished her pastry and got up to take a quick shower. She pulled her hair up in a ponytail and then slipped on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, it was going to be a hot May day. Stephanie walked out the bedroom and paused seeing Ranger Jeanne and Diesel in there, with a baby carrier in between them.

"Holy shit, she's fucking cute!" Diesel cooed, leaning into the carrier, "Hey baby, it's your uncle Diesel!"

"Ugh, you fucking ape," Jeanne said, pushing Diesel's face away, "Stop it, you'll give her nightmares."

"Children, behave," Ranger said before he looked up and said, "Babe, having a good morning?"

"Uh…what's going on here?" Stephanie asked, looking at the three, "Why is Jeanne here? And why do you have a baby with you?"

"Well, Plum," Jeanne said with a smile, "Ranger here is a father!" pulling a pink bundle from the carrier, "Plum, meet Heidi, Heidi meet Plum."

Stephanie gave Jeanne a look, but went over to look at baby who was moving in Jeanne's arms. Stephanie looked down and said, "She's cute, but….when did you have time to have a baby."

"It's a long story, and I'm really glad that you're calm about this," Ranger said, looking over to Stephanie who shrugged her shoulders.

"I have to assume she's not Jeanne's or yours she's a dark colored baby, and Jeanne's a lesbian," Stephanie said earning a soft, "Babe," from Ranger.

"Well, if ya have to know, Plum, she was rescued during a mission, and Ranger's watching over her." Jeanne said, inspecting the baby in her arms, "Is it just me, or has she gotten bigger since last night?"

Ranger looked down at Heidi, who turned her eyes to him, watching him. She had grown, she was infant sized last night on the plane ride home, but now she looked bigger, like a six month old, Jeanne had placed a one piece on her, and now it looked as though she was straining in it.

"She has gotten bigger," Ranger said, turning to Jeanne, who shrugged her shoulders, "She was just born last night."

"Wait a minute…." Diesel said, looking at the two, "She was 'born' last night? She looks like a six month old!"

Ranger nodded to Diesel and said, "Sit down you two, I have a tale to tell you both."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"You sent one of our best man to destroy our own military base," General Smith said softly, looking at the three people in front of him, "Do you have any idea how much cover up I had to do!"

"Enough, but know this, if you should try to end Mr. Manoso's life, we will make sure you feel the wrath of the Agency," The man with brown eyes said, his mouth tight with fury, "How dare you break the moral boundary we've set up, you have opened Pandora's box, and we shall all face the outcome of it, due to your desire for a weapon of mass destruction!"

"Are you talking about the DNA replicator? The machine that can create any living being from a strand of mitochondrial DNA?" General Smith asked, looking at the three Suits in front of him.

"No," The grey eyed woman said softly, looking at the man, "we're talking about experiment 089, the child that was successfully created without any problems, we know where you got the DNA from and who gave it to you."

"Have you ever seen civilizations fall in seconds, millions of people dead in a blink of an eye?" The woman with glasses asked, looking at General Smith, "No, you haven't, but we've have, and now that Experiment 089 has been created, we shall see the fall of mankind, if the child were to fall into the wrong hands."

"The price you pay to play a god, is the fall of mankind" The grey eyed woman said, before the three Suits left in a soft puff of smoke

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie could hardly believe what Ranger and Jeanne had told her. she was driving down to the bail bond office, to pick up skip files and to chat with Connie and Lula. The US government, preforming experiments on humans? Turning them into creatures? Heidi wasn't born, but created from something else? This sounded so farfetched, like something from a sci-fi movie, but from the looks Jeanne and Ranger gave her, she had to believe them.

Stephanie pulled her 97' civic into the empty parking spot that was two spots away from the bail bonds office. She slid out the car and made her into the office, letting out a soft sigh as the air from the cooling unit brushed against her heated skin. Lula was sitting close by, filing her nails and reading a magazine. Connie was at her desk, reading a magazine as well.

"Hey Lula, hey Connie, any files today?" Stephanie asked, walking over to Connie's desk, looking at the woman.

"Just a few today, Mooner and a bunch of old people," Connie said, pulling some files out of the tray, "Where's Diesel, he's usually with you."

"Yeah, I like him, he's a great white guy," Lula said looking up from filing her nails. "He's pretty fine too, but he doesn't compare to my Tankie Wankie."

"Diesel had to go out and do some stuff," Stephanie said, picking up the files, "I could use a side kick today, wanna join Lula?"

Lula looked up from her magazine and said, "Nah, it's too hot out there today, my curls might fall out, this here cost me a fortune to get done."

"Okay, I'll see you soon," Stephanie said giving the two a finger wave, "I might bring back some lunch."

She left the bails bond office making her way over to her POS car. She decided to go after the old people first, they had been arrested for expired parking tickets that hadn't paid yet, quick and easy money. They must have forgotten their court date. Mooner was always easy, as long as you caught him on the non-paranoid days, and this warm may weather, well Mooner shouldn't be paranoid.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Whoa….burn baby burn," Mooner said, sitting beside Stephanie, watching as her 97' Civic went up in flames, "Who knew Honda Civics were so flammable?"

"All cars are flammable, if they have gas in them, Mooner," Stephanie sighed, earning a blank look from Mooner.

"Are they? Whoa, blow my mind; you learn something new every day." Mooner said, thoughtfully, making Stephanie hit her forehead.

"Great, just what I needed, Cops, they bring fucking Morelli.." Stephanie said with a sigh watching several cop cars and fire trucks arrive at the scene.

Sure enough moments later Joe Morelli was hopping out a POS crown Victoria, stomping over to where Stephanie sat. Joe was a handsome, albeit, hairy Italian. With his rugged looks, and olive toned features, he could have any woman he wanted. Hell, even at one point, Stephanie wanted him too. He had taken her virginity behind the Tasty Pastry counter, she had broken his leg with Big Blue. Their relationship was a bit morbid, and frankly, after the talk she had with Diesel, she was sick of it, it was time she moved on with her life.

Stephanie and Mooner stood up as Joe walked over to them. Stephanie braced herself for the shit storm that was sure to follow, she wasn't disappointed."

"Jesus fuckng Christ, Cupcake," Joe snapped waving his arms and looking at Stephanie, "Can you not go one fucking day without embarrassing me?"

"I don't see how my car getting blown up is any of your business, Joe, we're not even together!" Stephanie snapped, hands on her hips, "Besides, this time, it wasn't even my fault! Some woman thought that this was her husband's car and blew it up!"

Joe got red in the face, ran a hand through his hair and snapped, "I don't care whose fault it is! All I know is that I'm getting sick and fucking tired of hearing about you blowing up cars, chasing down fucking old lunatics and gallivanting with thugs! You need to listen to your mother and marry me and have my babies!"

"Dude…." Mooner said, walking in between Stephanie and Joe, "Dude…you need to calm down, stop yelling at the dudedette, she didn't do anything, anything at all, so why don't we all head to a car and ride up to the shop to take me to get rebounded."

"Get out the way you stupid pothead!" Joe snapped, making a grab for Mooner, but a Mocha Latter colored hand grabbed his wrist, and Ranger said in a low voice, "Get the fuck out of here, Morelli, you're making an ass out of yourself."

Joe faltered, seeing the rage in those brown eyes. he took a step back, looked around at everyone and then said to Stephanie, "You and I haven't finished our conversation," before he was off, stomping away angrily.

"Babe, did her hurt you," Ranger asked, checking Stephanie out, "You seem a bit shaken."

"If you mean shaking mad, then yeah! That bastard!" Stephanie snapped, glaring at the POS car Joe drove, "Piece of shit, hey, what are you doing here, you should be with Heidi."

"Heidi's with Ella and Jeanne, the moment the tracker in your car went out, I had to see if you're alright," Ranger said, with a soft smile, "I can see everything's fine here, but you could use a car, I see."

"Oh, I can go and get Big Blue-" Stephanie started, but Ranger dropped a set of keys in her hand.

"Here, take the SUV " Ranger said before he said, "I have to go and check on the baby, come over to Rangeman when you're done."

"Okay," Stephanie said, trying to put up a fight, but she really couldn't, "I'll see you soon."

"Babe," and just like that, Ranger was gone. Stephaie had to place a hand over heart to still it. that was such a handsome man!

"Uh…can we go to jail now?" Mooner asked, looking at Stephanie, "A star trek marathon starts soon."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ella smiled softly down at the small body in her arms, she had fallen in love with Heidi the moment she had saw her. she wiggled like a worm, but she was so quiet, Ella could hardly see her breath. Not only was she quiet, Ella could see deep in those amber eyes that Heidi was well aware of her surroundings, babies her age should not be so in tune to their surroundings.

Jeanne walked over to the two and said, "shit, she's grown again, at this rate, I'll have to keep buying clothes for her!"

"She's so quiet," Ella commented, looking over to Jeanne, as the woman made a bottle for Heidi, "She must be a water baby, water babies are so quiet."

Jeanne frowned and said, "Well, I guess you can call her a water baby," giving Ella the bottle she made, "The only time she made a sound was when she was born, there might be something wrong with her."

Heidi latched onto the nipple of the bottle sucking greedily, her eyes staring up at Ella and then at Jeanne. She made quick work of the bottle and then turned her head to look outside the window of the penthouse that sat on the seventh floor of Rangerman.

"She's always staring outside," Jeanne commented, watching Ella place her in the baby bouncer that faced the window, looking east, "What is she looking at?"

"Something that only babies can see, I supposed," Ella said with a smile, patting Jeanne's cheek, "Babies can see things grownups can't see."

Jeanne made a sound as Ella left, she settled herself on the couch to watch some TV, waiting for Diesel and Ranger to come back.

Heidi smiled a toothless smile, lifting her hands up from the bouncer as if to catch something. If one were to see what Heidi saw, they would have seen a white leaves, falling through the windows and walls, only to disappear as they touched the floor.

TBC…

(Reviews are loved, I love the feedback I get, it helps me improve as a writer!)


	3. Scarlet Cookies

Chapter Three Enjoy!

Yeah, okay Stephanie Plum and CO. aren't mine, rub it in my face will ya!

Scarlet Cookies

Diesel walked quickly through the busy streets of New York City, trying to make his way to the person who could answer several questions that he had been dying to ask Ranger and Jeanne. They had told him what the Suits had told them, and that wasn't much, not that he expected the Suits to tell them shit. He did know someone who could give him the answers, but they were hard as hell to find, and you had to know someone to find their location.

Diesel turned sharply and made his way into a tiny bakery that was situated between a bar and a small business office. The jingle of the bell above the doorway started the few occupants in the shop, the Baker and owner of the store, and a couple of teenage kids, who were eating slices of cake and drinking coffee.

"What can I do for you?" The baker asked, her voice soft, old green eyes trained on Diesel's baby blues, "Would you like today's special?"

"NO, I would like yesterday's special, two dozen of them, if you have them," Diesel said, leaning forward putting his weight on the counter, "I'm buying them for a friend."

"Oh, I see," The older woman said, placing two dozen chocolate chip cookies in a pink box, "Well, I'm sure this friend will enjoy them."

Diesel gave the baker several 20's and said, "Have a good day," before he left the shop, with the pink box.

As soon as he was around the block from the shop, Diesel opened the pink package, and took out the white slip of paper the baker put in the box. It had the address to the person Diesel was looking for. Diesel closed the pink box and turned to go into an empty alley so he could disappear in a cloud of smoke.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

The moment Ranger entered the penthouse, Heidi woke up from her nap, turned her head to him, and lifted her arms. Jeanne made a sound and said, "She was dead to the world, I had the TV up on high, and she hardly made a sound, yet, you come in, and she's wakes right up."

Ranger smiled at Heidi laying in the baby bouncer, and picked her up, supporting her bottom, and hold her back. Said baby lifted her head to look up at Ranger, her eyes wide, her small fist gripping his shirt tightly.

"Ugh, another Carlos fan," Jeanne said, grabbing her purse, and walking over to the door, "I'm going home to sleep, I'll see you all later."

Jeanne left with flourish, closing the door softly. Ranger patted Heidi's back and asked, "Why are you attached to me Quedria?"

Heidi blinked owlishly, grabbed Ranger's shirt tighter and laid her head on his chest. Ranger sat down on the couch, with Heidi resting on his chest. He kicked his boots off and turned the TV on to some mind numbing news, his large hand rubbing the baby's back. he felt the baby shift on his chest, and then he felt her fall asleep, his breathing lulling her to sleep. Ranger let out a yawn, and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. He could let loose and prop his feet up, from time to time, not all the time though, then he'd lose his image.

"You won't tell anyone, it's our little secret, Heidi," Ranger said, before he too, fell asleep.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Diesel looked around the area the person he wanted to meet lived in. It was a glitzy neighborhood in the heart of Chicago. The person lived in a building that had been modified into upscale lofts that over looked the river. Diesel rolled his eyes as he made his way into the building. Trust the person to live in the lap of luxury, all while doing illegal things.

Diesel walked past the desk manager who smiled broadly and him and said, "My-"

"Come on now!" Diesel said with a smile, "My name is Diesel up here!"

"Oh, okay, Diesel, They're in, but they might be in their study, I'll call them to tell them that you're coming."

"Thanks," Diesel said, as he walked over to the elevator.

Diesel pressed the button that had 'Service only' painted on it. soon the elevator was heading down, going below the basement, below the garage, until he was well below underground. When the elevator stopped, Diesel walked out of it and into a lavish hallway that led to a set of red double doors . Diesel walked up to the door poised to knock on them, but they opened on their own, and a short Asian woman walked out, wearing only a silk white robe, her hair tousled to make her look fuckable. When her almond shaped eyes only saw Diesel, she closed her robe up and said, "I was expecting you to have company…"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, scarlet, it's just me," Diesel said walking past the woman, holding up the pink box, "I bought you cookies."

"Not the cookie I wanted," Scarlet pouted, but took the box, "Where's Jeanne? Mommy was looking forward to giving her a spanking."

"Ugh!" Diesel gagged turning to look at the small woman, "Please, not in front me! keep your mommy kinks to yourself!"

"What ever happened to the man that tried to turn me and Jeanne straight?" Scarlet giggled, leading Diesel into a lavish living room, "Didn't you use to gloat that you could change lesbians back into dick lovers?"

"Yeah, but then I met you and Jeanne, shook my fucking confidence." Diesel said sitting In a chair, "Scarlet, I'd love to say that this visit is for pleasure, but I need for you to answer a few questions."

"Oh, I see now," Scarlet said, opening the box and taking out a large cookie, "Fire away, I may have the answer….."

"What was that laboratory facility really doing?" Diesel asked, watching Scarlet eat her morsel, "Don't bullshit around with me."'

"I wasn't going to, my dear demon," Scarlet said, looking at Diesel, "I will tell you everything you need to know, That laboratory, in North Dakota, was a government facility, backed by private dollars. Nothing out of usual there, the government slowly but surely selling itself to the highest bidder."

"Okay, enough with the government conspiracies, what was happening in there?" Diesel asked, snagging a cookie.

"Oh…yes, DNA experimentation." Scarlet said, sitting down beside Diesel, "They were creating life from single strands of DNA."

"DNA stands," Diesel echoed, looking lost, "They were doing what, with who?"

"Ugh, so slow….they were taking DNA strands, adding the right amount of non lethal radiation to jump start the atoms in the DNA to replicate cells, tissues organs, the works." Scarlet said with a smile, "They were doing advance cloning."

"Advance cloning…" Diesel said slowly, "Cloning…"

"Yes, but from scratch, that's pretty advance for humans, this technology should not be around for another few dozen years, I'm thinking they got help from a person who isn't entirely human." Scarlet said leaning against Diesel, "The person backing it might be a demon of some sorts."

"I would have heard about it, if it was a demon backing the US government." Diesel said softly, looking at the woman beside him, "But still…why were they trying to achieve advanced cloning?"

"Who knows, to bring back certain figure heads, to find cures for cancers, it all depends on what the investor wanted." Scarlet said sitting up, grabbing another cookie, "It's too late for them now, it's blown to pieces, there are only two machines like that in the world, I have one, and your army buddy blew the last one up."

"They were sent on a mission, to destroy the laboratory, and to get a package from it." Diesel said, putting his cookie down.

"Oh, and were they successful?" Scarlet asked, curious.

"They were, they bought back a baby created from a DNA strand." Diesel said, "Experiment 089, she's healthy too, she was checked over, nothing wrong with her at all."

Scarlet tapped her chin thoughtfully and said, "I would love to meet this experiment 089, you need to bring her to me as soon as you can, your pesky humans, they don't have the advance technology to do a real check up, I want to put my two cents in somewhere."

"Would any kind of DNA do?" Diesel asked, Scarlet, who got up from the chair to grab a glass of wine, "You know for that cloning shit?"

"As long as it isn't decaying, or at half life, any DNA strand will do," Scarlet said, sipping her drink, "the DNA in bones and hair last for several decades, and is an excellent source for DNA strands. Though the results from that are iffy, and sketchy at best, which is why your friends saw tubes filled with mutate creatures. The best place for DNA is from a fresh source, like fresh blood, and or saliva."

Diesel nodded his head and said, "Thanks, Scarlet, I appreciate what you're doing for me, I'll pay you back."

"The best way to pay me back, is to bring Jeanne with you, when you bring the baby." Scarlet purred, rubbing Diesel's chest, "Mommy misses her."

"Ugh!" Diesel said, scooting away from Scarlet, "I have to go, but wait, Jeanne and Ranger wanted to know if you can read this book, they found it with the baby, and the language is ancient."

Scarlet took the book that Diesel took our from inside his flannel shirt. Diesel saw something, a tiny bit of something flicker in Scarlet's eyes, before the woman said, "I'm not a linguistic, but I'll see if the computer can translate it for you, it should be done in about a day, bring the child with you, when you come for the translation."

Diesel got up and said with a smile, "I can always count on you, scarlet!" before he was off and out the underground home.

Scarlet opened the inside of the book and whispered, "So, you've finally brought her back, you son of a bitch…."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie had to cover her mouth to prevent the squeal from slipping between her lips. She had finished her last round of skips and went right to the seventh floor penthouse of Rangeman. She had given the men on camera duty a finger wave, and then proceeded into the penthouse. When walked into the penthouse to call out for Ranger, she found him, sitting on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, holding Heidi, both of them were fast asleep, Ranger held one hand on Heidi's back protectively.

Stephanie had to capture this image forever. She took her phone out and quickly took pictures of the sleeping duo. As she leaned closer to get a better shot, Ranger smiled and said, his voice rough with sleep, "I think you caught my bad side, Babe, here, let me turn my head for you."

"Oh shit, you're awake!" Stephanie said, shuffling away from Ranger who chuckled and sat up, his hand still on Heidi's back, "I'm so sorry, I couldn't resist, you looked so cute, holding Heidi and sleeping like that-she's gotten bigger…."

Ranger looked down at Heidi and made a sound; Heidi had gotten bigger while they were sleeping. Gone was the six month old, and in their place was a nine month old, who was wide awake, looking at both the adults.

Stephanie took a step back and said in a soft voice, "She's not normal, you said she had been born yesterday, right? Well, in less than two days she's aged almost a year, what's going on?"

"I don't know, but I hope Diesel will find the answers," Ranger said as he placed Heidi on the couch, "He should be back soon."

"Oh, okay, well, I'm here now, what did you want, Ranger?" Stephanie asked, sitting beside Heidi, who watched her every move.

"I want you to help us raise Heidi," Ranger said, watching Heidi move closer to Stephanie, "I could use your help."

"Me, watch a baby," Stephanie asked, giving Ranger a look, "You know how allergic to babies I am! She look she's touching my knee, and I'm breaking out in hives!"

Ranger shook his head and said, "Babe, I know you have it in you, besides, like you said, Heidi isn't a normal baby, I trust you, and I know you'll be a valuable help."

Stephanie looked down at the baby, who held her arms out to be held by Stephanie. Stephanie couldn't deny it, this was one cute baby, plus she did seem different, something about Heidi told Stephanie that she was different. Stephanie smiled and picked the baby up, letting her latch onto her like a starfish, "Well, I guess not all babies are bad, Heidi isn't."

"She doesn't make a sound, and is very calm, I doubt you'll have any problems with her," Ranger said getting up to call Ella, "I could use some food, how about I call Ella to bring up some food, and I'll make a bottle for Heidi."

"Sounds great," Stephanie said, as Heidi grabbed a lock of her hair and pulled, "Ouch! Heidi, my hair is not a toy!"

Heidi gave her a smile which revealed two little teeth and pulled harder, making Stephanie wonder if this baby could understand what she just told her. it really didn't matter now, all that mattered was the fact that this baby was pulling her hair.

Stephanie turned to Ranger, watching him go about in the kitchen to make a bottle. He was great with kids, and to see Ranger so laid back with Heidi, it had Stephanie wondering hat he would look like if they had children together. Would Ranger be as protective? Would he fall asleep on the couch holding their child?

Stephanie had to shake her head to chase the thoughts away. She wasn't quite yet ready for parenthood. Heidi would be her beta baby, but like a wise birdie told her, not all babies are alike. Heidi could quiet and calm, but her child may be the devil incarnated!

Stephanie shuddered and said looking down at Heidi, "When you get older, stay this way okay? Don't be a bad ass kid!"

Heidi blinked up at Stephanie and smiled, pulling at her hair again, making Stephanie wince in pain. She just hoped that Heidi understood her request, maybe she was an imp after all.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

General Smith sat in his lavish office, staring at the documentation that had been salvaged from the computers that had been in the laboratory that had been blown up. Experiment 089 had been their only success and now it was gone, by the damn Agency. Whoever tipped them off would pay with their life, he would make sure of that. He had had a whole plan set up to deceive both the Agency and the person who invested their money into the project. But now, the whole plan was ruined and now his hope for the perfect weapon was gone.

General Smith sighed and leaned forward in his seat, if he could find Manoso, he could find Experiment 089. The Agency had swooped in, though, and taken all information the government had on Manoso, protecting him from them. what he needed to find was someone close to the man, someone who wouldn't mind playing dirty to get to his prize, someone who hated Manoso enough to see him crash and burn.

General Smith smiled, thinking about the FBI; they had someone on their team who could help him out, who wanted to see Manoso suffer. He really didn't want to lose Manoso, he was a damn good solider, and got the damn job done quickly, but he wanted Experiment 089, so it had to be done.

General Smith grabbed the phone and dialed the FBI, "Aww, yes, I would like all and any information, on one Joe Morelli please, he's needed on an important Military mission….."

TBC…

(Reviews are like speed to me, The more I get, the quicker I update!)


	4. Ducklings

Chapter 4, enjoy!

SMUT!

not mine...not making...oh why depress me even more ;x;

Ducklings

Stephanie let out a pained groan, feeling a hand hit her face. She lifted her arm to protect herself from the limb that was hitting her and blinked opened her eyes. She had fallen asleep at Ranger's penthouse. They had been up well into the night, playing with Heidi, trying to get her to go sleep, but the baby hadn't gone to sleep until well past four in the morning. The moment Ranger and Stephanie's heads hit the pillow they were dead to the world, all with Heidi sleeping peacefully in between them.

Stephanie rubbed the sleep out her eyes to see Heidi staring at her, a smile on her face, as though she was playing a game.

"Heidi, it's seven in the morning, go back to sleep," Stephanie groaned, laying her head back on the pillow, earning another hand to her face, "Mghhhh….."

"Babe, are you really having this conversation with a baby?" Ranger chuckled, his voice rough with sleep, "I hate to tell you this, but Heidi is going to win."

Heidi perked her head up, hearing Ranger, and stumbled over to him, cuddling in his side, gripping his hair. Ranger turned on his back and lifted Heidi in the air, muttering in Spanish to her, before he sat up and held her close to his body, "Babe, get up, time to be grown ups."

"Don't wanna," Stephanie groaned, pulling the pillows over her head and buried herself deeper in the covers, "call me to play grown up later on."

Ranger slapped Stephanie's bottom, earning a weak yelp, and got up, holding Heidi close to his chest.

"Fine, Heidi and I will have a big Ella breakfast, I told her to make French toast today," Ranger said, maneuvering Heidi in his arms so he could put a shirt on, "With warm syrup and powdered sugar…."

"Sugar?" Stephanie asked, looking up, "No, I won't do it, I'm going back to sleep, I only had 2 hours of sleep, I wanna sleep some more."

"Oh well, Heidi and I will eat all French toast, and bacon, turkey bacon, but you know it's going to be really good," Ranger said, walking out the bedroom with the baby.

"Save me some," Stephanie said, ignoring the protest her stomach was putting on, "Shut up stomach, go eat yourself."

Ranger placed Heidi in the baby bouncer looking outside and said, watching as the baby became entrapped with whatever she was looking at, "What do you see, when you look outside, Quedria?"

Ranger smiled, running a hand over the downy soft curls that covered Heidi's hair, "Whatever you look at must be pretty, to have you silent."

Heidi looked over to Ranger and clapped her hands with a smile, before she turned to look out the window again. Ranger noted that she had grown again, and was now looking likeone year old baby. Ranger had to wonder, if this was a side effect from whatever created her, or was this something else, was this something that people really couldn't explained.

"Jeanne's not going to be happy to see that you've grown again, that means more clothes shopping for her." Ranger said, as he made his way to the kitchen to make Heidi a bottle, "You need to stop growing."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"So she looks like a one year old," Diesel said as he held Heidi to him, letting her play with the glasses he wore on his face, "She must be able to talk now, right?"

Jeanne rolled her eyes as they walked down the street. The moment Jeanne had shown up at Ranger's place, saw Heidi straining in the clothes she wore to bed, she had flipped a gasket. Here she was spending good money on excellent clothes, only for Heidi to grow out of them in hours, _hours_! Of course when she had stressed this out on Heidi, the baby only gave her a kiss, albeit it was very wet, but a kiss nonetheless. Jeanne couldn't be too mad at such a pretty face and a good kisser.

Diesel had offered to take Heidi to someone who could ratify the clothing issue. Ranger had really wanted to go, but issues came up with a very important account, and Stephanie was still dead to the world. So it was Jeanne and Diesel, making their way to see this person Diesel knew.

"You sure do know a lot of people," Jeanne said as they walked down the sidewalk of Paris, "I mean, you know hackers, and scientists, and politicians, what are you, some smooth talker?"

"Smooth talker?" Diesel said, eyebrow rose, "I have no idea what you mean, Jeanne, but in my line of work, I've helped several people out and saved many people's lives, so, of course I know lots of people."

"In your line of work," Jeanne muttered, looking at the man who was swinging Heidi around, "Stop doing that to her! she's get shaken baby syndrome!"

"Aw hush up woman, she likes it, don't you?" Diesel cooed tickling Heidi earning a smile, "You are so quiet, talk to Uncle Diesel, say, Uncle D!"

Jeanne giggled as Heidi patted his nose, and cuddled close to him, "You won't get a word from her, not even her father can get her to talk."

"Oh yes, Heidi and Ranger have created such a strong bond," Diesel said, leading Jeanne down a deserted alleyway, "You know they remind me of, ducks."

"Ducks?" Jeanne said, startled, looking at Diesel as though he grew two head, "Why ducks?"

"Well, you know, ducklings, when they first open their eyes, instantly form a maternal bond on the first living thing they see, dogs, cats, humans, whatever, so maybe Heidi is like a duckling, forming a bond with Ranger," Diesel said tickling Heidi, "Or it could be that Heidi's a baby, and Ranger's her provider, it could be that too."

"I like the duckling theory more," Jeanne said as Diesel stopped in front an abandoned warehouse, "Uh, this is the place? Really?"

"Yes, really," Diesel said as he opened the side door, so he and Jeanne could enter the warehouse, "Come on in, and welcome to the world of Jeune."

Jeanne could only look around at the inside of the warehouse, or what was supposed to be a warehouse. It was a huge clothing store. It was several stories tall, making Jeanne wonder about her sanity, the warehouse was only three stories tall. The floor and wall were covered with clothes, men women children, nothing but clothes. Jeanne smirked, thinking of the heart attack Stephanie would have if she were ever to see this store, ha!

Diesel led Jeanne up to a circular desk, where two women sat, chatting away on phones, which they promptly hung up, when they saw Diesel.

"Oh, your-uh, I mean, Diesel!" One woman said with a smile, doing a jerky bow, "Welcome, Jeune is busy with an order, but I'm sure he can make room for you and your guests."

"Thanks, ladies," Diesel said with a wink, earning two sighs, "We're here to get baby clothes for this one." Diesel ran a hand over Heidi's head, making tiny hands grab at his large one.

"Oh my god!" One woman cooed with a smile, "She's so cute!"

"Aww, look at those eyes"

"And that mouth, she's going to be a heart breaker!"

"Ladies…ladies, show some mannerism!" A curt voice said, heavy with a French accent, "These are high profile clients!"

"We're sorry, Mr. Jeune," The women said but not before making silly faces at Heidi.

Mr. Jeune appeared from nowhere, wearing a suit of soft yellow. He was a tall man, with pale hazel eyes and soft brown hair was that tied neatly in a ponytail at the nape of his neck.

"Diesel, you must ignore these two naughty girls," Jeune said walking up to the man, "Now what is this about baby clothes?"

Jeune smiled as his eyes landed on Heidi, who blinked up at him, "Well, a pretty fleur indeed! I have the perfect clothes for this one, they will look good on her, follow me please!"

Jeanne and Diesel walked past the circular desk, and over to a set of red velvet curtains. Jeune smiled softly and said, "This is where we shall make clothing magic, now you're here not for just any type of clothing, fire away my good friend."

"Well, this little one is growing at an amazing rate, and we would like a several pieces of clothes that will grow with her, I know you're the man who can make clothing like that." Diesel said, earning a confused look from Jeanne.

"Indeed, well, I do happen to have some clothing of that sort." Jeune said walking over to a rack of clothing, "The material they're made form is a special blend of cotton, not from this _–ahem-_" Jeune gave Jeanne a look and then said slowly, "Country…yes, country."

Diesel set Heidi on the large pedestal that stood in a corner and then Jeune came over with a soft pink baby dress with a yellow duck and several ducklings walking across the front.

"This one, yes, this one," Jenue said pulling off the too small sun dress Heidi wore, and slipping the pink dress over Heidi's head, "Aw yes, this is prefect, and I promise you, as she grows, this will grow with her."

Jenue walked away from Heidi, who was poking at the ducks on her dress, eyes wide in wonder. Jenue walked over to the rack and said, "Of course, dresses, pants shirts the works, The ladies will have some clothing packed for you at the desk, consider it a form of payment."

Jenue walked over to Heidi and said with a smile, "I am not going to lie, you are quite pretty, better watch her closely, you two, they'll be many people trying to snatch this little one up."

Jeanne couldn't shake the feeling that Jenue was warning them, instead of joking around.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"He was warning us, Diesel," Jeanne stated as they left the warehouse to walk back in the busy city.

"Of course he was," Diesel said with a yawn shifting Heidi in his arms, "I always thought Jenue was a little freaky, he could always feel different vibes or whatever, he's a freak."

"Is he now," Jeanne said as Diesel wrapped an arm around her waist, leading into a busy café, "I suppose that makes you head freak then?"

"You have no idea, Gina." Diesel said with a wink, before they were gone in a puff of smoke.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie let out a low moan as fingers glided over her exposed thigh. The curtains were closed in Ranger's bedroom, so only a sliver of sunlight came in the room, leaving it dim. Stephanie had found herself in the middle of this soft bed, wrapped up in the 1000 thread count Egyptian sheets that covered, having one of the best sleeps she had ever had. Though now she was slowly waking up from one of the best sleeps she ever had.

"Babe…." Ranger whispered in Stephanie's ear, "Time to wake up, it's almost 2 in the afternoon, your phone has been going off all day long your mother thinks you're dead."

"Mmm…tell her I am dead," Stephanie said earning a chuckle, "Dead tired, where's Heidi? She's always by your side."

"She's with Jeanne and Diesel, getting new clothes, she's growing quickly and I suppose soon, everything we bought her won't fit anymore." Ranger said running his mocha latte colored hands up and down Stephanie's thighs, "Babe….time to get up…..we have the whole penthouse to ourselves."

"Oh do we now?" Stephanie asked, sitting up and looking at Ranger, who nodded his head, a smile on his face, "Well, there is something we can do, since the children are gone now."

"And what's that Babe," Ranger asked leaning down so that his head was close to Stephanie's, "Is it the same thing I'm thinking?"

"Yes, I want to eat and then go back to sleep," Stephanie yawned before she turned on her side to go back to sleep, "Did you save me some French toast, I'm starving."

Ranger leaned forward and whispered something in Stephanie's ear," making her sit up again and say with a leer, "You know, that's just as great as sleep and French toast."

Ranger grabbed her chin and kissed her deeply. Stephanie let out a sigh, leaning into the kiss, placing her hands on Ranger's shoulders. When she opened her mouth, Ranger's tongue slid in, playing with hers, sweeping through her mouth, licking at the corners of her mouth, his teeth nipping at her lips, making her shudder with delight. Large hands roaming her body, gripping her hips, and playing with her breasts.

Stephanie leaned her neck back, letting Ranger gain access to her neck and collar bone, Just as large hands shifted under the blankets to pull the hem of the black shirt Stephanie wore to bed. Ranger nipped at her pulse, earning a whimper from Stephanie. his hands ran under the shirt Stephanie wore, finding her soft belly, tracing the swell of her breast, before nimble fingers found her nipples and began to pull and tug at them. Stephanie let out a soft gasp, arching her back into the fingers, feeling her nipples swell with want, under ministrations.

"Ranger," Stephanie moaned as they kissed again, Ranger's fingers still playing with her nipples, "stop teasing me, Ranger!"

"Patience Babe," Ranger chuckled before he slid the shirt Stephanie slept in off her body, leaving her bare, "Dios, what you do to me, you look so sexy like this, in my bed, wanting me."

Ranger let Stephanie pull his shirt off and groaned as her mouth latched onto every bare inch of bare skin she could find. When her teeth scraped his nipples he let out a hiss, his erection throbbing in the black pants he wore.

Stephanie kissed her way down his chest, her fingers finding the zipper to his fly. Stephanie smiled up to Ranger, who returned it with a smirk of his own, as Stephanie unzipped him and pulled his erection out. she ran her fingers over the sensitive head, before she leaned down and took a long swipe from the base to the tip, making sure to lavish the head with her tongue.

Ranger let out a low groan, threading his fingers through Stephanie's sleep wild curls, his hips snapping up slightly as she lavished the head of his cock with open mouth kisses and licks. Stephanie wrapped her lips around the head and began to bob up and down the long shaft, taking more in with each head bob. It was enough to make Ranger growl and set the pace as Stephanie gave him a blowjob.

"Enough!" Ranger growled, pulling Stephanie off his erection, "You'll make me come, Babe, and in your mouth is not where I want to come."

If Stephanie had panties on, they sure as hell would have been ruined. She let out a gasp as Ranger laid her on her back and pulled her thighs open, his eyes, now black with lust, trained on her pussy, which was wet with anticipation.

"One of my favorite parts on your body, and I have several of them." Ranger said, his fingers sliding though the wetness that Stephanie produced. He bought his fingers to his mouth and licked them lazily, watching Stephanie move underneath his stare, humping at air, "Babe, what's the matter, do you need something?"

"You know I do," Stephanie groaned, her hips rotating, "I want it…."

"You want what?"

"I want your…penis…"Stephanie's cheeks turned a dark red.

"No, say you want my cock," Ranger said, grabbing his erection and running it up and down Stephanie's slit. "Tell me that you need my big cock."

Stephanie let out a low whine, he pelvic jumping as Ranger's dick rested at the rim of her opening, "I need your…cock, give me that big cock, please! I'm going crazy, I need it!"

Ranger made a sound in the back of his throat, approving what Stephanie told him. He lifted her thighs up and then slid in home. The couple groaning out loud in pleasure as they connected. It had been so long since they've been this intimate, this wouldn't be a slow love making, this would be a fast quick fuck, love making could happen later.

Stephanie let out a sound with each thrust Ranger gave her, that big cock going in and out with long quick strokes. She gripped the black sheets around her as Ranger fucked her. he breast bounced with the movement and her legs were wrapped soundly around Ranger's waist, locking him in place.

Ranger groaned, looking down at Stephanie, whose head was thrown back in ecstasy. His large hands found Stephanie's bouncing breast and he grabbed them, his thumbs running over the sensitive nipples. Stephanie let out a long whine, biting her lip as he did so. Ranger could feel his orgasm building up, oh shit, it felt so good, being in Stephanie, being surrounded by all of her. he had told her before, when she came back to him, he would never let her go, and he would make sure he kept his word, Stephanie was his woman, not Morelli's not any other man on the planet, his.

Stephanie's ESP must be at full power, because she turned her head, and looked up at him with lust filled eyes and said, "I'm all yours Ranger, come deep inside me, mark me."

Ranger arched his back, his orgasm hitting him hard. his hands gripped Stephanie's waist tightly, as he emptied himself into Stephanie, who was having her own orgasm at the same time.

They lay in the bad, afterwards, holding each other, kissing each other softly. The moment was ruined, however, when Stephanie's stomach rumbled loudly. Ranger chuckled and said, kissing Stephanie, "Let me go and feed the beast, before it eats me."

Stephanie sat up and said, "Great Idea, anything will do, as long as it isn't rabbit food."

"Babe…"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie and Ranger looked up from the show they were watching, as Diesel and Jeanne entered the penthouse, Heidi sleeping in Jeanne's arms. Diesel was holding several bags in his hands, all of them from a store for children.

"You're going to spoil her," Stephanie said as Jeanne laid Heidi in the baby bouncer, "Jeaaz, did you buy the whole store out."

"I wish, but Jeanne here stopped me," Diesel said, looking over to Heidi, who moved in her sleep, "I can't help it, she was so cute! We went to this toy store, and we let Heidi walk around, and she went up to the toys, pointed at them and then at her, it was like she was asking if she could have them, and of course, I got them all for her."

"We have a master manipulator on our hands," Jeanne said with a chuckle, punching Diesel in the arm, "Poor Diesel, he was putty in her hands, we went to the park, and Heidi attracted so many hot mommies, with their cooing and sexy mommy bodies…."

"Jeanne, please," Ranger said with a smile, watching Stephanie have a mini seizure beside him, "Everything alright, Babe?"

"Jeanne, please, don't flaunt the fact that you like vaginas!" Stephanie said, as Ranger got up to go over to Heidi.

"I only do it to make you squirm, Plum," Jeanne said, leaning back in the couch, beside Diesel, "Man, that kid sure is cute, makes me want to have one….well, maybe not."

Diesel frowned and said in a low voice, "I am concerned, about what Jeune told us, Stephanie, Ranger, could you keep a sharp lookout on Heidi, my friend gave me us a warning, and I'm inclined to believe him. There could be several people out to get Heidi, I want her safe."

Ranger nodded his head and said, "I agree Diesel, Heidi's safety is my number one priority, with all of you, I think we can make sure no harm falls to Heidi."

"Yeah, she's too cute to be taken away by bad guys anyways," Stephanie said going over to Heidi, whose fingers twitched in her sleep, "She must be dreaming hard, I wonder what she dreams about? It must be something interesting, she's moving and twitching in her sleep like a little worm."

Stephanie ran a finger over Heidi's cheek and said, "Have pleasant dreams, Heidi, we'll watch over you."

TBC…

(SO...can you leave a girl some reviews, I love feedback, and it's like speed for me, the more i get the quicker i update!)


	5. The Proposal

Chapter 5, enjoy guys!

Joe is a douche! Cuteness overload, sorry guys, but this is one cute baby! *SQUEE*

not mine...*depressed*

The Proposal

Joe Morelli was surprised when he got a call from the US Military. He wasn't anyone important, like that fucking Manoso. He had done a couple years in the Navy and then left to go work in California. He was even more surprised when some important general requested a meeting with him. What had he done to gain the attention of some hot shot official? Joe told the general that he would love to meet him, packed an overnight bag, and went right to DC, where the meeting would take place. As he made his way to Washington, all he had on his mind was Stephanie Plum.

That bitch…

He had been chasing her around since she was a wide eyed innocent child. He took her cherry behind the tasty pastry, before he left for the navy and now he wanted her more than ever. She was supposed to be his damn it! but no, that fucking Manoso had to show up in her life, poaching on her, making her question what Stephanie and Joe had, and now, she didn't want him, she wanted fucking Manoso….pa-fucking- thetic. He would give all the money in the world to get rid of him, so Stephanie would be forced to go back to him, and have his children, to cook his meals and keep house. No one said no to Joe Morelli, no one. He would make sure Stephanie paid the price for saying no, and then he would make her into a perfect 'Burg housewife. Of course he would still have several ladies on the side, he was a morelli man, he couldn't be content with just one woman! Stephanie might whine and bitch about it, but a few slaps would keep her quiet. Her mother would be more than happy to have him as her son in law. It didn't help that he had had a few rounds with Helen Plum too, for an older woman, she sure as hell had a killer body, and she knew what to do too, not like those younger bitches. Joe would still enjoy what all the Plum women had to give him.

He had made it to Washington, got a hotel room, and waited for the meeting inside the hotel room, masturbating to porn. The meeting would take place in the hotel room, at five in the afternoon. He hoped he wasn't in any trouble, he was able to get the incident with the 16 year old girl covered up, but it must be something big, if the military was looking into him.

Joe had cleaned up his mess, and turned the TV off, when three sharp knocks resounded on the hotel door. Joe quickly made his way over and opened the door to reveal General Smith, in all his uniformed glory. Joe gave the general a quick salute, and said, "Sir, you wanted to meet with me sir."

"Stand down son, this is an important meeting, and it will be a short one too," General Smith said, entering the hotel room, closing the door behind him and locking it, "I need you to partake in a mission, Detective Morelli, you will be paid handsomely."

Joe sat down in a chair and asked, "What kind of mission, sir?"

"Do you know, Captain Carlos Manoso?" General Smith asked, watching with glee, as Morelli's face darkened with rage.

"Oh yes, I do know that son of a bitch," Joe growled, before he could help himself, "I'm sorry General, for what I said."

"No, you're fine," General Smith said, before he sat down in the other chair, "I need you to do something, and I don't think you'll like it; I need for you to get rid of Manoso."

Joe perked up at the statement, "Get rid of him, like…kill him?"

"Yes, I want you to kill Captain Manoso, you will be protected from any arrests and prosecution," General Smith said watching Joe's face light up, as though Christmas came early, "Of course, you don't have to accept this mission…."

"No! I'll do it, I'll kill Manoso for you," Joe said with a smile, "Though, why do you want him dead?"

"That's classified information," General Smith said solemnly, "But, I can tell you, he took something from us, and we would like it back."

"How much am I getting paid?" Joe asked, watching the Genral smile at the question.

"As we speak, 500,000 dollars is being wired into your account, another 500,000 will be wired into it, once you get rid of Manoso, and the item we want is in our possession," General Smith said getting up, "There is no deadline for this mission, though it is recommended that you finish this job quickly."

"I sure will, General," Joe said saluting the general, "Thank you for the mission, you don't know how long I wanted Manoso gone."

"Just get the job done, son, and then have yourself a nice drink," General Smith said with a smile, before he left the hotel room.

Joe could hardly believe it, this golden opportunity fell right into his lap, he was going to kill Manoso, and get away with it, god he fucking loved his country. Manoso would be one dead piece of shit.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Look Heidi, it's the baby sheep and goats!" Lester said, lifting Heidi up as he walked into the petting zoo pen, "And the duckies and the llamas!"

Heidi pointed to the ducks in the water, and then at the white ducks on her shirt. She began to grunt and twist in Lester's arms, before he let her down, so she could slowly make her way over to the ducks, turning her small head back to Lester, and then to Ranger, who stood on the other side of the petting zoo pen with Stephanie.

"Go on Quedria, go see the ducks," Ranger said, and that was all Heidi needed to hear, before she ran as fast she could over to the small pond, Lester following her.

"She grew during the night." Stephanie commented, watching Heidi splash in the water, "She looks like she's almost two now, is it just me, or do you think she grows at night in her sleep."

"I think the same thing Babe," Ranger said, his eyes never leaving Heidi's small form, "She is growing in her sleep, is it because of how she was created, or is it because of something else."

Stephanie let out soft sound, watching Heidi chase the ducks, "Maybe it's soething else, something that can't be explained, like Diesel, there are some things that are over people's head, you know, you can't know everything."

"True, but I get this nagging feeling that I want to know what Heidi is," Ranger said softly turning to Stephanie, his eyes soft, "I get these weird paternal feelings when she's around me."

Stephanie stiffened at the look Ranger gave her, "I don't care if you get them, Ranger, but I don't get them, so no funny business mister!"

Ranger laughed and said, "Babe…" grabbing her and kissing her softly, "No funny business, I promise."

"Oh, look at that father and daughter, they look so cute!" A woman gushed beside Stephanie and Ranger, "Aww, isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever seen?"

Ranger and Stephanie turned, seeing Lester sitting in the hay with Heidi in his lap, petting a duckling that sat in Lester's hand. She had a content smile on her face, that seemed to light the whole petting zoo up. Ranger smiled and turned to the woman, "That's not her father that would be her Uncle Lester, he's great with children."

"Oh, you two made such a pretty child!" The woman gushed to Stephanie and Ranger, her smile wide, "She's so cute!"

Stephanie blushed began to sputter, but Ranger beat her to answering by saying, "My wife, she gets so flustered when our baby gets compliments, she's so proud of our daughter."

"What happened to no funny business?!" Stephanie asked, turning to Ranger who smiled at her, his head tilted to the side, "Don't you smile at me, you jack ass!"

"I couldn't help it, Babe," Ranger said, before he turned seeing Heidi make her way over to the little candy machine that dispensed animal feed, "Besides, I don't mind being called Heidi's father."

Stephanie turned to Heidi as well, watching as Lester put some money in the machine and turned the knob, and grabbing a handful of animal feed, "She is a pretty great baby, even though she doesn't talk. And she's always smiling."

"Yeah, I hope our children turn out like Heidi," Ranger said, before he entered the petting zoo pen to join Heidi and Lester.

Stephanie blushed her eyes wide, "What?!"  
(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Scarlet let out a satisfied purr, rolling away from Jeanne who lay on her back, her eyes half closed.

"Oh yes, that was the cookie I wanted," Scarlet said with a smile, getting out of the ornate bed in her master bedroom, "It's been so long since you've seen your mommy, Jeanne."

"Talk to me later, you wore me out, woman," Jeanne said before she threw an arm over her face, "Go out there and talk to your guests."

"Oh, I intend to," Scarlet said leaning over and kissing Jeanne's lips, "Stay put, you're not leaving this bed for a few days."

"I don't think I can move," Jeanne said, lifting her arm to look at the small Asian woman, "I'll be waiting."

Scarlet pulled her robe on her nude body and said, "I'll be back soon," before she left the room, and made her way into the living room, where, Stephanie, Ranger, and Diesel sat. Heidi was fast asleep resting on the couch.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," Scarlet said, watching Stephanie blush at her words, "Jeanne is such a wild cat."

"Please, as much as I would love to hear about what you and Jeanne did," Diesel said, with honesty, "We need to worry more about the baby, tell me later."

Scarlet smiled and walked over to Heidi, looking down at her. She ran her hazel eyes up and down the small body and said, "She's cute! Now wake her up."

Ranger lifted Heidi up by her armpits, making her open her eyes slowly, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she woke. Heidi looked up at Scarlet and blinked, before she looked around. Scarlet smiled and said, "Now, let's take a look at you, sweetpea!"

Scarlet did a lot of poking and prodding, noting the fact that Heidi didn't have a belly button. She rose an eyebrow, when Ranger told her that Heidi had been born four days ago.

"Four days you say?" Scarlet said, looking into Heidi's eyes, "I daresay, she is the right size for a one and half year old. I'm going to take a sample of blood, Diesel, give her a cookie."

"We're trying to watch what she eats," Ranger started but went silent at the look Scarlet gave him.

Diesel smiled and held the cookie out for Heidi to take, which she promptly did, and began to chew on contently. She didn't even bat an eyelid, too focused on the cookie, as Scarlet took a baby needle connected to a medical tube and took blood from her arm. Scarlet smiled and said, "All the answers are in this small tube, it'll take me a bit, but I can analyze this, I shall call you when I'm done, okay?"

"Does that mean we can leave?" Stephanie asked, perking up, earning a nod from Scarlet, "Great! well, we'll be heading off, there are things to do, people to see, we don't want to know about what you and Jeanne are about to do, so…later!"

Stephanie jumped up and raced out the living room. Ranger shook his head and said, "We'll be expecting a call from you soon."

Ranger stood up, holding Heidi close to him and then walked off, following Stephanie. Diesel smiled at Scarlet, who smiled back at him, "Don't leave us waiting too long, sweetie, oh, and do make sure Jeanne comes back to us in one piece, please."

"She will, though she'll be walking with a limp for a while," Scarlet said with a wink, before Diesel chuckled and walked out the living room, exiting the unit with Ranger and Stephanie.

Scarlet clutched the vial of blood close to her chest and then walked out the living room and down a long hallway. She passed several doors, before she stood in front of a set of metal doors, which led to her lab. Scarlet leaned forward, and used the retinal scanner to enter the laboratory. After a quick blast of UV lights to kill any germs, she made her way to a computer that sat on a C shaped unit. In the unit lay the tattered book that Diesel had given her. she didn't need the computer's help to translate it, she knew what it said, she understood the language very well. Scarlet sat down in front of the computer and placed the vial of blood into a small compartment built into the unit. The unit hummed to life and then the screen to the computer lit up.

"Computer, please show me a microscopic viewing of Experiment 089's blood," Scarlet said, watching as the screen went black and then red covered the screen. She watched as blood cells, magnified to fit the screen multiplied and regenerate at an alarming rate. Scarlet sighed and ran a hand over her chin, a nervous habit she could never break. So it's true, very true now, she had seen her, she had taken her blood. She was alive now; after 2000 years, she was alive.

Scarlet pulled the sleeve of her robes down to reveal a symbol on the inside of her wrist it was a circle of thorns woven together. Inside the circle of thorns was a cross covered in thorns and flowers and on the cross was a woman with her head bent, tied to the cross with thorns and flowers. She ran her fingers over the mark and then she leaned forward to look at the computer screen.

"I've failed you once, and the world paid the price, I will not fail you again; I will protect you from him." Scarlet said softly, placing her free hand on the symbol, "His betrayal will not be seen again."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"She's so fucking cute," Lester gushed, watching Heidi walk up to the play pen that held a group of kittens, "It makes me want a baby, as long as they're like Heidi."

Tank grunted, trying his best not to smile and agree with Lester. Heidi was a cute child, and quite curious too. Even if she didn't talk or made much noise, she made up for it with being curious and very intelligent. She understood things that no one and a half year old should know. She would be a handful when she reached childhood. Right now, everyone at Rangeman was enjoying the antics the baby did. Right now, she was exploring the play pen full of kittens that Tank had rescued from a storm drain on his way to work. He may be built like a tank, but that doesn't mean he had a soft spot, and kittens that were helpless were one of his weaknesses. Babies were also one of his soft spots, they were so cute and loved to babble and give kisses. With Ranger dealing with clients, and Stephanie off to catch some skips, Heidi fell to Lester, who happily took up the task. Everyone on the fifth floor had fallen in love with the baby, it wasn't hard to do so either all she had to do was freaking smile, and they were putty in her tiny hands.

Tank looked up from his paper work hearing soft mews coming from the play pen. He watched as Heidi leaned down, her nose touching the mesh that covered the play pen. One kitten had come up to the side of the play pen and was now sniffing Heidi's face. It let loose a string of mews rubbing it's face against Heidi's nose. Heidi clapped her hands and smiled, turning to Tank. She pointed to the kittens and then to herself, opened her mouth and said, "Mew!"

Scratch what Tank had said about Heidi being a cute child, she was a fucking ultra-mega adorable baby.

"Holy shit! If she gets any cuter than this, I'm going to explode with flowers and all things cute!" Lester said his eyes bright, watching Heidi from the open doorway, "I'll be a pile of rainbows and sunshine."

"Go explode at your desk," Tank grunted, as he went back to his paper work, "Just because there's a baby toddling around, doesn't mean you get to slack off, no off you go solider!"

Lester groaned but left Heidi with Tank, knowing full well that Tank would watch her like a mother cat; even If he would deny it.

When Lester left the office, Tank looked back to Heidi and smiled at her, making her smile brightly and say, "Mew!" before she was preoccupied with the kittens again.

Tank would protect this child with his life, that was one thing he was certain of. Heidi need not worry about bad guys, spiders or boogey men and the dark. Uncle Tank would protect her from everything.

TBC…

(I would love if you left reviews, it makes me feel all fuzzy on the inside, and besides, Reviews are like five hour energy drinks and mountain dew combined, writing gets done faster when I get them! *i do not recommend combining these two items together...I did today, I was bouncing off the walls!*


	6. Lords and Daddies

Chapter 6 enjoy!

Yeah, I know, I don't own Stephanie Plum and her friends, if I did, lord knows this series would have been Morelli free and have more sex in it!

Lords and Daddies

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Jeanne asked the person in the driver seat of the black SUV, "This is a stupid idea, you've had several stupid ideas, Plum, but this one takes the cake, Ranger's going to kill us when he finds out what we're doing."

Stephanie rolled her eyes, looking over to Jeanne, "Oh when did you because a nervous nelly? Besides, are you going to tell Ranger what we're doing, are you going to be a snitch?"

"I'm not being a nervous nelly, besides, there's one more person with us that's going to get killed too," Jeanne said pointing to Heidi, who sat in the back, in her car seat, staring outside the window, "You know we have Heidi."

Heidi perked up, looking over to Jeanne and Stephanie. She smiled and said, "Mew!" pointing to the kittens on her shirt.

"That's right, Heidi, Auntie Jeanne and I are going to get you a kitten!" Stephanie said with a smile, turning left onto a back road, and pulling into the Trenton's Humane Society, "Won't that be great!"

Jeanne turned to Stephanie and asked, "What happened to not nurturing those maternal feelings, Plum?"

"I'm not feeling maternal!" Stephanie snapped, parking the car, "I'm just teaching Ranger a lesson! He can't tell me what I can and cannot do!"

That was what Stephanie kept telling herself, it was to get back at Ranger. She had come back from catching skips, and had ound Heidi in Tank's office playing with a bunch of kittens. It had been an adorable sight, one that had Stephanie's inside turning into mush. But Ranger had been the buzzkill, and had told Tank to get rid of the kittens. Then he turned to Heidi, who had motioned in a way that told them all that she was keeping the kittens, and told her that she couldn't keep the kittens. Stephanie gut had clenched when Heidi's mouth wobbled, and those pretty amber eyes had filled with tears, but she had to give the baby some credit, she didn't cry and throw a tantrum, she had just sulked in her bouncer for the rest of the night. Stephanie told Ranger that she would keep a kitten, but he had told her that she couldn't keep one either. So now, she was teaching the bastard a lesson, not to make Heidi happy….yeah….

Jeanne pulled Heidi out her car seat and placed her on the ground, holding her small Swiss chocolate toned hand. Both women could tell that Heidi was quite excited to be where they were, she was going to get a kitten soon! Stephanie had to grab Heidi when she slipped out of Jeanne's grasp and went running to the front door of the Humane society.

"Calm down, we'll be there soon!" Stephanie said carrying the wiggling girl over to the building.

The group entered the cool building and over to a front desk, where a woman sat watching them walk up to her.

"Hello!" Jeanne said with a smile, grabbing Heidi by her waist and cradling her with one arm, while grabbing Stephanie with her other arms, "My wife and I are here to pick out a pussy for our lovely daughter! She's following in her parents' footsteps and picking out the perfect pussy cat."

"JEANNE!" Stephanie raged, turning to the woman, who held Heidi up to protect her from Stephanie's wrath, Don't say stuff like that, you nit!"

Stephanie smiled and said, turning to the woman behind the front desk, "I'm not a lesbian, we're not together, this isn't our-"

"Stephanie Plum, oh my god! It's me Diana Young, we were lap partners in Chemistry in high school!" The woman behind the counter said, her eyes bright, "Now I know why you and Joe didn't work out, it's okay, I'm not a homophobe, get your love where you can right, besides, your wife is hot!"

Stephanie groaned, feeling Jeanne preen beside her, "Please, don't give her any ideas, anyways, can we just go pick out a kitten for the girl?"

Diana got up and said with a smile, "Follow me and we'll pick out the perfect kitten for your daughter!"

They walked down a long soft blue hallway over to a set of double doors that had kittens and paws painted on it. Diana opened the door to reveal a large bright room that had several kittens in it playing with the toys that were scattered around the area. Heidi smiled brightly and then slid out of Jeanne's arms to play with the kittens.

"Aww, look how happy she is, I bet Mrs. Plum is happy now that you have a child," Diana said looking over to Jeanne and Stephanie a smile on her face.

"Uh, but I-" Stephanie started, but Diana stopped her by asking, "You did tell Mrs. Plum right?"

"No she didn't," Jeanne said, rubbing more salt in the wounds, "She's hiding our relationship, because she's ashamed!"

Stephanie gave Jeanne a glare, before she tried to explain the truth, but Jeanne wasn't helping at all. Jeanne snickered softly, watching Heidi crouch down to watch a kitten drink from a bowl of water. Jeanne had to run over and get Heidi as she mimicked the kitten and drunk from the bowl as well. Heidi pouted but then was distracted by a tiny scraggly looking kitten in the corner of the room. It was black with a white spot in the middle of its head. It was watching the group of humans with deep amber eyes.

Heidi slid out of Jeanne's hands, and made her way over to the tiny kitten, said kitten sitting up as Heidi came over to it. Heidi leaned down, holding her hand out to pet the kitten.

"Oh dear, that's our newest arrival, he doesn't like humans, and he really hates children!" Diana said watching Heidi's hand go down to pet the kitten, "I would grab her!"

Jeanne let out a sound and made to grab Heidi, but paused, seeing the kitten lift its head, so Heidi could pet it. The kitten let loose a long meow and then rub its body against Heidi. Heidi clapped her hands, pointed to the kitten and then at herself, "Mew!"

Jeanne picked Heidi and the kitten up and asked the toddler, "This one?" earning a head nod, "Okay, we're taking this one with us."

"Okay! I'm sure since he seems to be so nice to your child, they'll bond quickly!" Diana said before she turned to Stephanie and said, "Now, let's get him tagged and fill out the paperwork, and you, tell your mother about your child and wife."

"I get a feeling she's going to know by the end of the day," Stephanie sighed, watching Jeanne poke at the kitten, "Come on children…."

(~~~~~~~~`~~)

"Experiment 089 Is growing at an exponential rate, Sir," The woman said softly to the man that stood close by to a ceiling to floor window that over looked a busy city, "At the rate she id growing, she'll be at the age she had been before she died in less than a week."

The man looked up and over to the skyline of the city. He had bought this building for a reason, because it was facing east to the skyline. It gave him a perfect view of everything. The man smiled and said in a low voice, "She gets stronger every day, as she grows, the Tree grows as well, soon the time will come when we can snatch experiment 089 up and do what we've started 2000 years ago."

The woman smiled softly and said, "As long as you're happy, I am happy too."

The man smiled and turned to the woman, he walked over to her small frame and kissed her lightly on the lips, "You will always stand with me, my darling, through thick or thin."

The woman smiled softly and said, "I will, I love you…."

The man smiled and said, "Good, because we will be tested soon, I hope you are prepared, there are still forces out there that will try to stop us, but we won't let that happen, we will rebuild this planet into the world we desire."

The woman hugged the man and said, "Don't ever leave me, please, stay with me forever."

"I will stay with you forever, you know I only love you," The man said lifting the woman's chin up and kissing her lips, "Only you…."

The woman buried her face in the man's chest, he eyes filled with tears. Her mind had been on in past, thinking about something that someone had told her a long time ago. She could still see them, wrapped in deadly looking thorns tied up to the back of a white tree. She could still see those amber eyes, dull from the pain and filled with unshed tears, those tears, they had been for her. The woman had watched as the person opened their mouth and say to her, _"I'm so sorry….."_

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Diesel frowned, sitting back in the plush blood red chair that was situated in a bright room. He rubbed his face and looked down at the drawing that he was given by one of the officials. He had never seen anything like this before. What in the hell is going on?

"So, are you saying that there are several of our kind that can see it in this world and in the human world?" Diesel asked, sitting up and looking at the man, earning a nod, "What the fuck Is this, do the ones who can see it, do they know what this is?"

"No they have no clue, it leads me to believe that the ones who can see this item have had past lives." One official said softly, looking up at Diesel, who sighed and shook the hair out his face, "Which seems to be the only valid answer, they also found symbols of some sort on their wrists, a few days back they must have been part of some group."

Diesel looked down at the drawing, seeing a tree, which towered above skyscrapers in the skyline. It was white, with white leaves. What did this mean? Why were people seeing this now?

"We need to figure this out quickly, this might cause a problem." Diesel said softly, looking around at the people in the room, "I want to know what this tree is, and why only certain people can see it, you all are dismiss."

The officials nodded their head, and quickly left the bright room, well, all of the officals except for one did. Diesel rolled his eyes and then said, "Yeah, yeah, I know, Rebecca, I know what I need to do."

"You need to find a mate and soon, you know what's going to happen soon," The short older woman said putting her hands on her hips, "You and your family will be booted out of the demon world for good, and another family will take your place to rule this world."

Diesel sighed and said, "Okay, I know that, just…how long do I have to pick out a mate?"

"Two weeks, and that's it, that's all the extended time I can give you, you need to hurry up, Lord Vashmen, or else." Rebecca said watching Diesel's eyes widen, "That's right, you only have 14 days!"

Diesel swore loudly as Rebecca left the room; fuck! He only had 14 days to find a mate, great, how was he going to pull this off? He wasn't into any woman as of yet, and they had to be of high ranking and blah, blah, blah…being a lord sucked. Diesel rubbed his face and groaned. He wondered what his friends were doing, he should go on and see them, maybe that will cheer him up.

Diesel smiled and with a puff, the lord of all demons disappeared with a puff of white smoke.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Ranger's going to kill you," Lester sang to Jeanne and Stephanie, who were setting up a corner for Heidi's new kitten. They had chosen to put the kitten's bed in the office that Ranger rarely used on the 7th floor penthouse, "He's going to kill you!"

"No he isn't," Stephanie said pouring water into the cat bowl, watching the scraggly looking kitten drink from it, "Besides, it's all for Heidi, not us."

"Yeah, besides, if he kills Plum, where would he get some pussy from?" Jeanne said earning a punch from Stephanie, "Plum, you're so cruel!"

Lester chuckled, his eyes on Heidi, who was petting the kitten, her eyes wide with wonder, "Well, as long as Heidi gives him cute looks and junk, we should be fine."

"Yeah, we should be fine with Ranger, but Stephanie's mom is another story, she's gotten wind that Stephanie's a lesbian with a wife and kid, and has been calling her daughter non stop for the last five hours!" Jeanne said going over to Heidi and the kitten, "Stephanie had to turn off her phone, it was so funny!"

"I wonder where she got the idea that I was a lesbian?" Stephanie asked, watching Jeanne snicker some more, "Shut up Jeanne!"

Lester whistled and said, "Damn Steph, she must be pissed, I can't believe your mom would flip about that, if you were a lesbian, which we all know you're not."

Stephanie sighed and sat down in the rarely used office chair, "My mom has it in her head that if it's not 'Burg, then it's not life, she's adamant that everyone should live like that, that we should all be stepord wives and husbands, raise 2.5 kids, and have a pot roast on the table by five."

"Your mom is a crazy bitch," Jeanne said toeing the kitten, so it would attack her shoe, "When I told my parents I was a lesbian, they tried to set me up with all these sexy girls, those are parents, they accepted me for all my flaws and lifestyles."

"And it's just my mother too," Stephanie said, watching Heidi and the kitten play with Jeanne's shoes, "My father doesn't mind and my grandma would ask questions about it."

"Well, we got your back, if she decides she needs to interrogate you," Lester said, just as the front door to the penthouse opened, "Shit! It's Ranger!"

Stephanie Jeanne and Lester scrambled out the office and closed the door, hiding Heidi and the kitten. Ranger was standing there, looking at them with one eyebrow rose. Stephanie smiled and said, "Oh Ranger, you're back, what's up?

"Nothing, what are you three doing?" Ranger asked, walking over to the three, who were pressed tightly to the door, "Babe, Jeanne, Santos."

Heidi's sleeping in there; don't mess with her, Manoso!" Jeanne said, crossing her arms, giving Ranger a glare, "Buzz off!"

"This is my penthouse," Ranger said, earning a loud, "So!" from Jeanne, "I'll go where I want to, Jeanne, and right now, I need to get some papers from the office, I won't wake Heidi up."

"Mew."

Ranger looked over each person and said, "That sounded like a cat."

"No it wasn't," Lester said playfully punching Ranger on his arm, earning a growl, "IT was Stephanie's phone."

"Mew!"

"That sounded like Heidi, open this door," Ranger said, his hands on his hips, "Open the door, now."

Stephanie and Jeanne turned to Lester, who threw his hands up and said, "I uh….I gotta go!" taking off for the elevator, making Jeanne and Stephanie yell in outrage.

Ranger pushed pat Jeanne and Stephanie, and opened the door to reveal Heidi and the kitten, staring at each other. Ranger turned to Stephanie and Jeanne. Jeanne was the first to crack.

"It was Stephanie's idea! She wanted to get back at you for telling her what to do, so she got Heidi the kitten!" Jeanne said pointing to Stephanie who hissed, "Bitch!"

Stephanie turned to Ranger and said, "Yeah, okay, I did, but then, Jeanne had to spread nasty lies about me being a lesbian, now my mother is annoying me!"

Ranger looked down at his leg, seeing Heidi look up at him with big amber eyes as her small fist pulled at his pants. she smiled and said, "Mew!" pointing to the kitten, before she said, "Daddy's Mew!"

Ranger was still a human being, he wouldn't admit it out loud, but what Heidi said had his heart strings pulling and a small smile on his face. Ranger picked Heidi up and asked, "Is that our kitten, Quedria?"

"Mew!" Heidi said with a serious nod, pointing to the kitten, "Daddy's Mew!"

Ranger looked down at the kitten and then at Heidi who hugged his neck, "Well, I guess we can keep, since it's Daddy's Mew too."

Aww so cute," Stephanie said, her heart swelling, "She called you daddy!"

"I bet you wish she was calling you mommy," Jeanne chuckled, watching Stephanie's face heat up, "You can't deny it! you want Heidi to call you mommy-OUCH!"

Jeanne pouted, glaring at Stephanie and rubbing her sore breast, which Stephanie had punched, hard. Stephanie was about to give Jeanne a piece of her mind, when her phone went off. Jeanne looked at Stephanie and Ranger, and said, "Well, it's Mama Plum, better answer Plum, she might be pissed off when she comes barreling through Rangeman to get you."

Ranger shook his head and said, "Babe, I've got you covered, just in case she wants to try something," Bouncing Heidi in his arms.

Stephanie groaned softly, but she pressed the speakerphone button on her phone saying, "Hello Mo-"

"STEPHANIE MICHELLE PLUM! I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU FOR THE LAST FIVE HOURS! WHAT WERE YOU DOING THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT?! HAVING SEX WITH THAT WIFE OF YOURS?!" Stephanie's mother's voice filled the office, making everyone cover their ears from the screech of it, "I RAISED YOU TO BE A WOMAN WHO LOVED MEN! I DEMAND YOU COME OVER FOR DINNER TONIGHT, NO IF, ANDS OR BUTS! I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU MISSY, AND I PLAN TO SET YOU STRAIGHT! "

There was a moment of silence and then Helen Plum boomed, "AND BRING THAT BABY YOU ADOPTED! I WANT TO SEE HER!"

"Well," Stephanie said, hanging up the phone, "At least I still have my personality…."

"Babe…" Ranger said, pointing to Jeanne, who stood beside Stephanie, her face red with rage, "I think your mother made Jeanne angry."

"THAT BITCH!" Jeanne roared, her eyes bright with fury, "THAT STUPID BITCH! How dare she call you up and deaaaands (Jeanne emphasized the word demand, with a head bob,) you, a grown ass woman, come to dinner!"

"We're not going Jeanne, don't worry she's all bark and no bite," Stephanie said, but Jeanne shook her head.

"Uh, no, we're going," Jeanne said her face set, "we are going, and we are going to set Helen Plum straight. She can take her pot roast and stuff it up her dried up vagina! And we're taking Heidi too, and we're going to make out in front of that twat! We are going to a big ass happy family in front of this Stepford Slut!"

Ranger shook his head and looked down at Heidi, who was looking up at him dazed, as if to ask, 'What's wrong with these people?' "Quedria, welcome to this crazy world."

Heidi smiled and said, "Daddy…" patting his cheek, earning a kiss from Ranger.

"Let's go get ready for dinner and a show." Stephanie sighed, walking out the office with a still ranting Jeanne. this was going to be a fun evening.

TBC…..

(Thank you for reviewing, I love reviews, your feedback makes me all giddy, and no more five hour energy and mountain dew, i've been banned from it...)


	7. Dinner At The Plums

Chapter 7, enjoy!

not mine...blah, blah blah...

Dinner At The Plums

Joe smiled as Helen Plum let him into the Plum Residence. He had gotten a call from her, stating that her husband would be out until 5:30, and that her mother was gone until well late in the evening. She had suggested that they enjoy the free time that they had. Of course the neighbors would see, but they could write It off as Helen trying to push her crazy young daughter on poor Joseph Morelli, a good 'Burg boy.

The moment the door closed behind them both, Helen was on Joe, showing him that even if she was in her 50's, she still had the moves to make his toes curl and him hard in seconds. All these Plum women must have insatiable sexual desires. Helen rode him in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the bedroom, she drained him of all the sperm he had in his balls. Joe had to push her away from him, fearing his dick would fall off. Did the woman not get enough from her husband? No she didn't she told him that she hadn't touched him in ages, Frank Plum didn't have what she wanted, and so she didn't go to him, she went to Joe. It made Joe happy to know that he was fucking his soon to be mother in law, under his father in law's nose. The old man didn't have the virility that Joe had. Heh, and he would still fuck Helen Plum on the side as well.

Joe tucked his shirt in and sat down on the couch in the living room, just as Frank Plum entered the house. Ah, poor frank plum, he had let himself go over the years, Joe had seen pictures of Frank when Frank was younger, he could have beaten Joe in any handsome man contest, but no here he was balding and a gut that was getting bigger every day. No wonder why Helen went to Joe, he wasn't getting fatter, and he didn't come home and go right to the TV to forget about the world, if only Frank knew…

Joe perked up seeing a black SUV pull into the driveway, great, his cupcake was here. He frowned though, seeing Jeanne Ellen Borrows exit the SUV, along with that fucking Manoso. That wasn't all either, Manoso had a toddler in his arms. The toddler looked to be two with black hair that were in curly pigtails and she was wearing a white shirt with a black kitten on I with black leggings. That must be the baby Helen was bitching and moaning about. He'd set Stephaie straight once and for all. The door opened and Stephanie walked in with Jeanne, Manoso and the toddler. She took one look at Joe In the living room and said, "Fuck…"

(~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie groaned softly, looking over to Joe who sat in her parent's living room, great, this was excellent, this POS was in her parent's home, possibly because her mother wanted to try to matchmake her again with him. Her mother really needed to get it through her head that she didn't want joe!

"There you are Stephanie," Helen said walking over to her daughter, sizing her up and down, "I've been calling you for five hours, where were you, and what's this about you being a lesbian?!"

Jeanne puffed and said, "Now see here, woman, you have no right to be bossing Stephanie around, demanding her to do things, I'm putting my foot down!"

Helen rounded on Jeanne and said, This must be her, you always did go after thugs and rude people."

Jeanne continued to sputter as Helen went over to Heidi, who clung to Ranger, hiding her face in his neck, "Let me see this child you adopted."

Ranger stood to full height and said, "Don't touch her," earning a look from Helen.

"And why not, she's my granddaughter, after all," Helen spat out the word 'Granddaughter,' "Let me see the girl."

"Daddy!" Heidi whined gripping Ranger's shirt, "Daddy!"

"She doesn't want you to see her," Ranger said walking past Helen, "Besides, this is not your grandchild, she is my daughter."

"And I'm not a lesbian," Stephanie said looking at her mother, "Jeanne's a bitch, she only said I was, just to grind my gears."

Helen shook her head and said, "I don't know what to do with you Stephanie, I invited Joe over, hoping maybe he'll still want you."

"HE may want her, but Stephanie doesn't want him, besides, she's with Ranger," Jeanne said looking into the kitchen, "Hey something's going off in there."

"The roast!" Helen exclaimed, before she ran into the kitchen.

"Like you really want to run to a kitchen for a fucking pot roast," Jeanne said to Stephanie, who shook her head, "Good, Ella can do all the cooking for you."

"Cupcake," Joe said getting up from the couch, "I'm glad to hear you're not a lesbian, I would have-ouch!"

Ranger knew from the start that Heidi did not like Joe Morelli, nor did she like Helen Plum. He had felt her stiffen up in his arms when they walked into the house. She didn't want Helen to touch her and by the looks of it, she didn't want Joe to touch either one of them, or to talk to them. Joe had made his way over to Stephanie but, Heidi was having none of it, she had slid out of Ranger's grip and made her way over to Joe and bit his leg hard, hissing like a kitten.

"Mew! Mew! Mew!" Heidi hissed biting on Joe's leg, her little fist hitting his thigh, "Mew! Mew!"

"Heidi!" Jeanne said, picking up the child, "You don't want to bite on Morelli, he's full of germs and nastiness! Now we gotta wash your mouth out with water!"

As Jeanne and Heidi walked past Joe, Joe growled to Ranger and asked, "I should have known that was your brat, rude and nasty, just like the thug who spawned her."

"Shut up Joe," Stephanie snapped crossing her arms and giving Joe a glare, "It's not her fault she can sniff out trash when she sees it."

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, you apologize to Joseph and come sit down all of you, it's time for dinner." Helen said walking into the crowded foyer, "The roast isn't too dry….I supposed."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Frank Plum was a tired man. He wasn't tired physically, he was tired mentally. He loved his wife, he truly did, but he couldn't do this any longer, he couldn't pretend that everything was okay, that everything was copacetic, when it wasn't. it had started years ago, with Helen refusing to let Frank be intimate with her. Frank had thought nothing of it, maybe something with hormones or something emotional. Most women went through that phase where sex wasn't wanted. Though, those thoughts quickly vanished, when Helen would walk around the house, a glow to her face and a spring to her step. He then grew suspicious of the woman. He confided in, of all the people, Edna Mazur, who surprised him by telling him that she understood if he should find something, that she would fine if he divorced from Helen.

"You're a good man that let my tightwad daughter beat down," Edna had said to him over coffee, "It's time to get your balls back and take charge of the situation."

To hear that Edna supported his decisions, no matter what, comforted and surprised Frank. It gave him the courage to do a little detective work. One day he told Helen that he'd be out for the whole day. Edna had conveniently left to go spend a day with her friends, leaving Helen alone in the house. Frank took his car down to the taxi garage and took one of his buddy's car to follow Helen around. Helen had done her housewife duties, shop, clean and etc. before she got in her car, and drove down route to a road side motel. Frank watched from a distance as she got out, went to the second floor of the motel and knocked on one of the doors. To his amazement, Joe Morelli opened the door, swooped his wife into his arms and kissed her senseless, before leading her into the hotel room. Frank couldn't believe it, his wife of nearly 35 years was having an affair, with a Morelli man, those men that beat their wives and drink too much. What was it that he had done wrong? Did he give her not enough attention? Not enough affection, was he too demanding of her, what did he do wrong to make her go to a man almost half her age? Edna told him the answer; nothing, he had done nothing wrong, which is why Helen went after Joe Morelli. Edna told him that she had a sister just like her daughter, who ran after every man she find, even though she had the best husband around. He had been like Frank, kind supportive, and attentive, but her sister was always attracted to those bad men, men who beat their wives, who put them down and made them feel like utter trash. Frank had to ask, what happened to her sister's husband and Edna told him with a sly smile;

"Well, I married him once he divorced my sister."

Frank could see Joe Morelli's face, so full so smugness, thinking he was the best, because he was fucking his wife. And Helen, prancing around the house, humming and singing, snapping at him when he asks what has her in a dapper mood. No more, Frank had had enough. He had been putting money aside, from poker winnings, cab tips, to parts of his pension. He had a nice size sum, he had the means to leave Helen, and he might do it tonight.

Frank kept his head down, listening to Helen brown beat his youngest daughter, that Ranger fellow, and the child with him, whose only fault was that she was there in the room. Frank ground his teeth together, as that fucker, Morelli interjected from time to time.

"Who in their right mind would let a thug have a child?" Helen asked, all the while Ranger's face was becoming more blank, Jeanne's face was becoming more red with rage, "you must have killed her parents…heavens knows why people like that are allowed to reproduce."

"People like what?" Stephanie asked her mother, anger simmering below the surface, "You should specify which people you talk about!

"Cupcake, you shouldn't talk to your mother like-"

"Aw shut the fuck up, Morelli," Jeanne snapped glaring at the man, "I don't even know why you're here, what, you're over here because you're fucking Stephanie's mom? That sounds so gross I can't believe I-"

"He is," Frank said looking up, "Joe Morelli here is fucking my wife, all behind my back like it's no big deal."

There was silence around the table and then Helen snapped, "Frank! I am not having an affair with Young Joseph! I am only trying to-"

"Bull shit!" Frank snapped glaring at Helen and Joe, "Bull fucking shit! I've followed you, I watched you go to that fucking Rt. 1 motel that Morelli likes to take his women!"

The occupants around the table were stunned silent. Helen's eyes widen and then she raged, "you followed me, like I was some criminal?!"

"Oh, you're angry because I followed you to your little love shack, you don't even deny It, Helen," Frank said his eyes dark, "I've sat here for too long, your mother was right, I let you beat me down and turn me into something else! Not anymore, I won't let you do that to Stephanie either! Compare to this scum Morelli, Ranger here is a saint, I'd rather have my daughter with him any day!"

Everyone was looking at Frank, who, at this point, stood up and was glaring down at Helen. Helen puffed up and raged, "I should have married Anthony Morelli! I should have never married you, you were soft, letting me do whatever I wanted!"

"What did you want me to beat you like Anthony did his wife and children?!" Frank asked, causing Helen to flinch, "I'm sorry Helen, but my parents didn't teach me to abuse women and to treat them like shit! I'm sorry if I treated you with respect and decency! You were my wife, I wasn't going to treat you any differently!"

"What do you mean were?!" Helen asked glaring at Frank who shook his head with a sigh.

"I'm divorcing you," Frank said waving his hand, ignoring the choking sound that came from Helen, "I'm leaving you, selling the house, and moving on with my life, without you."

Stephanie covered her mouth and looked at Helen, "How could you? How could you cheat on Daddy, and with Joe Morelli too, and you talk about me, you hypocrite!"

Helen ignored Stephanie and exclaimed to Frank, "What will the neighbors think?"

"I don't give a flying fuck what they think, Helen!" Frank said his eyes hard, "You should have thought about that before you fucked Joe, and as for you Joe, stay away from my child, she doesn't want you, and I don't want you around her!"

Joe was silent, staring at the child in Ranger's lap, the words of General Smith coming back to him. He had told him, a few days back, that the package would be close to Ranger at all times. From what he could see, and what he heard, the child was around him all the time. No way, this child couldn't be the package. This was the potential weapon of mass destruction. Joe would do what he had to do, he would kill Manoso and take the child back to the General. He couldn't do it now, he'd be killed on the spot. He would wait, until the time was right, then he would attack.

Joe got up and said, "Whatever, like want Stephanie anyways, she's Manoso's whore now, and I don't take sloppy seconds from him. It was great what we had, Helen, but I've got bigger fish to fry."

Joe turned and walked out the dining room and then the house, leaving Helen stunned at what he just told her. they were over, after these few years, over, just like that! Like it meant nothing!

Jeanne stood up and said, "Well, that's a Morelli man or you, how does it feel to know that you were nothing but an outlet for him? Horrible, have fun with your life now, without your husband, your precious 'burg, everything. Come on now guys let's go get some ice cream,"

Heidi perked up at those words and grunted, reaching for Jeanne, who picked her up with ease. She kissed her cheek and said, "Let's go little one."

Stephanie stood up and said to a stunned Helen, "don't worry about me and my life anymore, I don't want you in it," before she followed Jeanne out the house.

Ranger got up and went over to Frank, "If you need a place to stay, you can stay at Rangeman."

"I already have a place to go to, son, just watch out for my pumpkin," Frank said with a smile, before Ranger nodded his head and left.

Rank turned to his stunned wife and said, "My lawyer will call you to give you a time for the meeting we will be having to go over the divorce. Expect a call from him tomorrow. I loved you Helen, and I made sure to make you as happy as possible, I guess trying wasn't good enough for you. Goodbye Helen, enjoy your life."

Frank got up and left the house, he had packed a duffle bag the other night, he always ,made sure to keep a bag packed just in case.

Helen looked down at the table and said, "I'll never be able to show my face in public again!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie smiled softly at Ranger as he read Heidi a story from one of the many books Jeanne and Diesel bought for her. She never got bored of watching Ranger behave like a father. It was cute to see Heidi and Ranger interact, the bond they had got stronger and deeper every day.

"Can you say Little Red Riding Hood?" Ranger asked Heidi who nodded her head with a smile, "Okay, say it!"

"Mew!" Heidi replied clapping her hands and earning a chuckle from Ranger.

"That's acceptable," Ranger said kissing the top of Heidi's head, "You know what's a good idea, if Babe came over and helped me read to you, I could always use a sexy woman to play red riding hood."

Stephanie blushed but got up and went over to the two sitting in the armchair, "I'm only doing this for Heidi, not you, you lecher."

Ranger pulled Stephanie close to him and read out loud, "Little Red Riding Hood went over to her grandmother, laying in the bed tucked under wuilts with her night cap on her head. When Little Red Riding Hood went over to her Granny lying in her bed, she saw that her granny looked a bit of so she said;"

Stephanie coughed softly and said in a high pitch voice, "Why Granny, what Big ears you have!"

"All the better to hear you with, Babe," Ranger said causing Stephanie to gasp.

"Why Granny, what big eyes you have."

"All the better to see that sexy body of yours Babe."

"Why Granny, what big teeth you have…."

"All the better to eat you all up, Babe," Ranger said before he leaned over and kissed Stephanie.

The kiss would have turned into something more, but a small voice said, "Daddy! Mew! Mew!"

Ranger pulled away from Stephanie and looked down at Heidi who was pointing to the book, her mouth turned up in a pout, "Mew…"

"Okay, let's finish this tale," Stephanie said, "The wolf made to eat red riding hood, but red riding hood stopped him by offering him the Boston cream doughnuts that were in her basket."

Ranger raised an eyebrow, looking at Stephanie who shrugged her shoulders, "I don't like sweets, I only like two things, healthy foods and beautiful women in red riding hoods."

"But I have no healthy foods, I could give you myself, but you can't leave me afterwards," Stephanie said to Ranger who looked up at her, "And I heard that wolves didn't do relationships."

"They can change their mind, especially if they love this woman in a red riding hood," Ranger said, closing the book, "I can take them back to my den, and they can become my mate."

"I wouldn't mind becoming your mate, Mister Wolf," Stephanie said with a smile, "Especially with a cute pup such as the one in your lap."

Ranger looked down and saw that Heidi was fast asleep, curled up in his arms, snoring softly, "Babe, let's put her to bed."

Ranger lifted Heidi up in his arms and carried her to his room. He stopped and turned to Stephanie and said, "Well, Little Red Riding hood, ready to go into the den tonight?"

"I could use a rest," Stephanie said with a smile as she closed the door to the bedroom, "Just don't eat me up, Big Bad Wolf."

"Babe….."

TBC…

(Reviews are loved, I love the feedback from my readers! Thank you!)


	8. Family

Chapter 8, enjoy!

yeah, I know, not mine, whatever...feh...

Family

Stephanie would never cease to be amazed with Heidi and what she could do. The next morning Stephanie woke up to small hands shaking her awake. Stephanie turned and opened her eyes to see that Heidi was sitting on top of her, on her stomach, looking at her with big bright amber eyes. Gone was the two year old and in her place was a three year old who looked slimmer. She smiled at Stephanie, showing that she had all of her teeth and said, "Mew!" rubbing her stomach.

Stephanie turned in the bed, but found Ranger was gone, possibly off to work while the two were sleeping. Stephanie let out a yawn and sat up in the bed, hearing a squeal as Heidi rolled off of her to land beside her, her eyes dazed.

"Sorry Heidi, you really shouldn't be on me when I sit up," Stephanie said lifting the child up, "now, you must be hungry, right?"

Heidi nodded her head and then bounced on the bed with a smile, and then slid off of it, to run out the room. Stephanie slid the covers off her, and then went into the bathroom to use the toilet and brush her teeth. Stephanie grimaced as she took a look at her wild curls in the mirror. She finished brushing her teeth and tried to tame the curls. She heard some commotion outside in the living room of Ranger's penthouse. There were the sounds of a cat meowing and then tiny squeals and a small voice yelp, "Tia Ella!"

Stephanie walked out of the bathroom and bedroom, to see Heidi at the breakfast bar, eating pancakes while Ella brushed her hair and put it in two braids. The kitten was close to the stove eating his meal. Ella smiled and looked up at Stephanie as she walked into the kitchen, "Hello Stephanie, I know you love pancakes, there's plenty of them."

Stephanie sat down beside Heidi who smiled at her and went back to eating pancakes, humming as she ate, dancing to the tune she hummed. Ella chuckled and said, "They're so cute when they're this young, and this little one is extra cute, aren't you, my cute little Heidi."

Stephanie tickled Heidi in her side earning peals of little girl laughter. Heidi sure was cute at this age. She couldn't recall Mary Alice or Angie at this age, she was glad to experience it with Heidi.

Stephanie ate her pancakes watching Heidi and Ella interact. Stephanie had only heard Heidi say two words, Daddy and Mew, now she heard two more, Tia Ella. Ella seemed pleased with those two words, even if that's all Heidi said to her.

"Tia Ella," Heidi said looking up at the woman, "Daddy?"

"Oh, Daddy is downstairs on the fifth floor," Ella said with a smile, putting a ribbon in Heidi's hair, "After Stephanie eats, you and her can go downstairs and see him, he didn't want to wake you two up, so he let you two sleep in."

Stephanie definitely liked Heidi around Ranger, she made him soft around the edges, and made him much more enjoyable to around, even though he's enjoyable enough to be around, well Stephanie thought that, most other people didn't, except for women, who would throw themselves on him shameslessly. But after what Ranger told Stephanie last night, she wasn't too worry, Ranger was hers he belonged to Stephanie. Stephanie smiled into her pancakes and blushed, Ranger was hers!

Stephanie looked up, hearing Ella speak Spanish to Heidi who smiled and kicked her small sandal covered feet. Ella asked her a question in Spanish and Heidi nodded her head going, "Mew, Mew, Tia Ella!"

"Does she understand what you're saying to her?" Stephanie asked Ella, who smiled and ran her hands down Heidi's head.

"I'd like to imagine so," Ella said with a smile, "Ranger speaks Spanish to her all the time, while she's awake and while she's sleeping, I have little doubt she doesn't know what I'm saying."

"What did you ask her?" Stephanie asked, as she put her dirty plate in the dish washer.

"I asked her if she's be a good little girl for Stephanie today, while you two enjoy the day together." Ella said with a smile, "I know she understands me now."

Ella kissed Heidi's head and said, "Enjoy your day, you two," and then she left the penthouse, not before she picked up the scraggly kitten and took him with her.

Stephanie looked over to Heidi who looked back at her smiling. Fuck, this child was so cute! Ella had dressed her today, she was wearing a cute white haler top sun dress with pink flowers littered across it, and white sandals. Maybe they should wear the same clothing; Stephanie had spotted a halter top dress in Ranger's closet. Stephanie could hardly believe it, there were clothes that fit her in Ranger's closet! Rex had been moved into his kitchen (much to Heidi's delight, she loved the little hamster,) everything seemed so right now.

Stephanie picked Heidi up and said, hugging the girl to him, "Let me go get dressed and we can go see Daddy, okay?"

Heidi nodded her head and squealed, "Daddy! Daddy!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ranger sighed shifting through reports of sales and client files. This was mind numbing work, but someone had to do it, right? Ranger looked up from his paperwork and looked up at the ceiling. He thought about the two women up there that had stolen his heart. His babe, she ahd stolen his heart the moment she walked into Shorty's and asked him to mentor her in bounty hunting. She had intrigued him with her no nonsense attitude and her determination to learn how to catch a skip. Or course those cute brown curls and those blue eyes sucked him in as well. He had meant what he told her last night, that he wanted her in his life, he wanted all of her, everything she had to give him, he wanted. Plus he wanted her in Heidi's life as well.

Heidi, the tiny person who stole his heart as well. Even though she had only been born about five days ago, she had been growing so fast it stole his breath. He had developed a deep bond with this child. He could tell that Heidi had bonded with him as well. This mysterious child had cracked the perfect shell he used to mask his emotions, and frankly, he didn't mind that it was broken, well at least around Heidi, he did have to put a front up around thugs and his men. He still had to act tough somewhere, you know.

Ranger smiled softly, thinking about Heidi and Stephanie, he wished he could have stayed upstairs with them, lounging in the bed watching them sleep, but he had a company to run, and it wouldn't run with him sleeping in. Ranger had left early in the morning to work out and get into the office early. He might swing up there around lunch to see his babe and daughter.

Ranger paused, did he just think of Heidi as his child? Yes, he did, and it wasn't such a scary concept. Heidi was his child, no matter the circumstances she was born. He loved her and he would be damned that he would do what he did to Julie, he would make sure that she was taken care of and protect, just like a father should do. The best schools, ballet, the works, he wanted to enrich her life and be a part of the enrichment.

"Daddy!" Speaking of enrichment, Ranger looked up from his paperwork to see Heidi run into his office a smile plastered to her face. It made his heart leap to see that smile directed at him. As if he was the center of the world for this child. He opened his arms and let Heidi run into them. Heidi nuzzled his face and kissed his cheek saying, "Daddy!"

Ranger lifted Heidi into his arms and watched as Stephanie walked into the office, it seems the two were about to head out somewhere, "Babe, what are you and Heidi doing today?"

"Oh, well, I was thinking we swing by the bond's office, say hi to the girls, and then I don't know, go to park." Stephanie said with a shrug a smile on her face, "Where ever the princess wants to go, right?"

Heidi smiled and hugged Ranger before she turned to Stephanie and said, "Park!" kicking her small feet.

"Well, the park it is," Ranger said, "I don't want you two going alone, take someone with you."

"Oh I called Diesel, he said he'd love to join us at the park," Stephanie said grabbing Heidi and holding her close to her, "Then we're going out to lunch, isn't that right Heidi?"

"Mew!" Heidi said with a smile, hugging Stephanie, "Park!"

Ranger walked over to Stephanie and kissed her softly, "Be safe out there, you two."

He then leaned down and kissed Heidi who hugged him and said, "Bye Daddy!"

Ranger smiled as Stephanie and Heidi waved goodbye to him and left his office. For some odd reason, it felt as though they were truly a family. Something he thought he'd never have.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

The moment Stephanie walked into the Bonds office, Lula and Connie were all over Heidi, who blinked and watched the two women surround her.

"Oh my god! Is this Ranger's baby?" Connie asked, looking at Heidi, who hid her face in Stephanie's dress, suddenly bashful, "Aw she's so adorable! she looks like that type of child Ranger would have!"

Heidi blinked, looking up at the women, "Daddy?"

"Aw!" Lula cooed, watching Heidi bury her face in Stephanie's dress again, "She's so fucking cute! Better than those other kids that scream and yell and poop and pee!"

Stephanie smiled down at Heidi, who motioned to be picked up, wanting to be close to Stephanie. Stephanie pick her up and said with a smile, "Aw, she's acting so shy now, we're going to the park, does anyone want to join us?"

Lula shook her head and said, "No way, this heat is a killer on my new hair style," Patting her curls, "I'll stay inside with air conditioning!"

"I would Steph, but I have to watch over the place," Connie said with a sigh looking at Heidi's small form, "You two enjoy the park for us."

"You two ain't going alone now? I know Ranger wouldn't want you or his daughter without anyone to watch over you both."

"Oh no, Diesel's meeting us at the park," Stephanie said placing a hand on Heidi's bottom to support her, "AS if Ranger would let us out of his sight without anyone to watch us."

"So…." Lula said leaning forward, a gleam in her eyes, "Has Batman claimed you yet?"

Stephanie blushed and then said in a small voice, "Yes….." earning two loud squeals from Connie and Lula, and then Heidi, who liked to squeal anyways, "It must be because of Heidi too, he's been opening up to me and everything."

"Maybe…he wants you to be Heidi's mother," Connie said, settling back at her desk, "it makes sense, since Ranger is her father, and she doesn't have a mother."

"Me?! A mother?!" Stephanie yelped looking down at Heidi who looked up at her, "I don't know, children require a lot of attention and love and they poop and pee and cry."

"Yeah, but this one is cute," Lula said smiling to Heidi, who bashfully hid her face, "Very cute, besides, any spawn of batman isn't like any other baby, this here is a batbay! She's just like her father, superhuman!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie sat on the bench of the park, watching Heidi and Diesel run around on he jungle gym. She was thinking hard about what Lula told her. Lula had said what she had been thinking all this time, Heidi was super human. She was growing at least one year a day, and she had a vast understanding of what was going on around her. She also could charm her way out of a paper bag if she needed to. There was something off about Heidi though..something she couldn't place. Stephanie also thought about what Lula said about Ranger wanting her to be Heidi's mother, could she be this child's mother? could she and Ranger really make it work out and raise Heidi as if she was their own?

"Oh, look at those two, Diesel is such a child," A woman said close to Stephanie, making her jump out of her thoughts and look over to see Scarlet standing close by, dressed in a pair of shorts and a strapless top. She had an oversized star hat on and oversized sun glasses. She was eating a snow cone and fanning herself with a copy of _Dante's Inferno_.

"Scarlet! I thought you were in Chicago, why are you here?" Stephanie asked watching thr woman eat her frozen treat.

"Such a lovely day to go to the park, so I decided to join you in your group outing," Scarlet said sitting beside Stephanie on the bench, "Jeanne should be showing her sexy ass soon, you know how much she loves Heidi."

Stephanie made a face and said, "please, don't tell me this stuff! It's bad enough that Jeanne flaunts it, but you too, Scarlet?"

"I just love watching you squirm," Scarlet laughed, opening the book to read it, "You're so easily spooked, Stephanie."

Stephanie made a sound and turned to watch Diesel help Heidi across the money bars, "It's weird, you know, watching Heidi grow up so fast, it's so surreal, I mean nobody should be growing up this quickly, right?"

Scarlet looked up from her book, and turned to Stephanie. She turned to Heidi and then said in a soft voice, "Given the circumstances of her birth, Heidi is hardly classified as a normal human, am I right?"

"Yeah, you are right, she was born in a box, odd, who knew technology existed like that." Stephanie said with a smile, "it's like a work of science fiction."

"Hmm," Scarlet said as Heidi and Diesel came over to the two sitting at the bench, "Indeed."

""Hello ladies," Diesel said swinging Heidi around, "Scarlet, Stephanie, you two hungry, we have someone here that's starving."

"Heidi rubbed her stomach and said, "Mew!" holding onto Diesel's neck.

"Well, that's a problem, can't have you hungry can we," Jeanne said walking up to the group with a picnic basket, "Look what I packed, food.!"

They ate their meal under an oak tree that stood on top of a small hill that over looked the park. Diesel leaned back against the tree, watching Scarlet and Jeanne play with Heidi, while Stephanie slept peacefully beside them. Diesel sat up watching Heidi go still in Scarlet's arms, her head turned up to the sky. Her amber eyes wide with wonder. Diesel turned to where Heidi was looking but saw nothing. He commented out loud that children were weird little things. Scarlet responded with, "They sure are, Diesel, they sure are."  
Scarlet smiled softly watching as the white leaves fell down around them, knowing that only her and Heidi could see the white leaves. It would seem that Heidi grew, so did the tree that loomed in the horizon. That meant several things, all good, and that mean that Heidi would be hunted down to the ends of the earth, which was a bad thing.

Scarlet looked down, seeing Heidi grab the book she held in her hands and sit down beside Diesel and open it. the woman watched as Heidi became engrossed in the book, her eyes roaming the pages. Jeanne looked over to Heidi and asked, "Are you reading that book, Heidi?"

"Mew," Heidi said nodding her head, engrossed in the book.

Diesel looked down and made a face, "Meh,you should be reading picture books, not dark comedies!"

"Do you think she can actually read it, Scarlet?" Diesel asked the woman ,who smiled watching white leaves fall through her hands, "We all know Heidi isn't normal."

"I think she understands everything around her," Scarlet replied, her eyes closed as the leaves fell, "She may look like a three year old child, but inside there is something complex, something novel to everyone."

Jeanne snorted and said, pushing Scarlet, "You're so silly…."

Diesel nodded his head, leaning back and watching Heidi read. He wish this could be the tone every day. Lately, there has been so much unrest in the demonic world, ever since that tree appeared in the horizon for some of his kind. He had been getting talks of groups forming and talks of upheaval. Diesel shuddered to think of that, they had just found peace, and now, peace was being threatened. What was so important about this tree? Why does it have people acting so crazy?

Diesel closed his eyes and ran a hand over his chin, only time will give him the answers he supposed. For now, he'd wait and watch over his friends, it was all he could do at the moment, to be on the lookout for whatever danger that looms close by.

"Come on Heidi, let's not get our nose stuck in and book, there's a jungle gym that needs to be played on!" Diesel said picking up Heidi, who squealed with delight as he did.

Scarlet rolled her eyes and picked her book up, "Brutes, all the muscles work except for the one in their heads…."

Jeanne smiled and said, "Diesel would make such a good father, if he could find a woman."

Scarlet looked up at Jeanne and then over to Diesel and Heidi. Hmm….why did she just have a strange sense of Déjà vu?

(~~~~~~~~~~~~)

A pink tongue swept out and ran over full red lips, as dark blue eyes watched as the demon lord played with their target, the little child that ran away from him squealing with glee. It had been so long, over 2000 years, 2000 long years. They had been stunned to know that she lived again. They shouldn't have been stunned, death couldn't keep the one who controlled the tree away from it. oh the power, right close by, and all they had to do was snatch that precious child up! Today the stars were in their favor, and with it, the key to take over the world. They wouldn't let this opportunity slip from their fingertips, like once before.

"Not again," The figure said with a smile, watching the child closely, "Not again, you're mine, little one, and no one can stop me."

TBC….

(Reviews are loved, I love your feedback! thank you! :D)


	9. Scraggly Kitten

Chapter 9, enjoy!

I know Stephanie Plum isn't mine, Stephanie and Ranger are not together,Joe and Helen are still around,there's not enough sex going on, the series is getting on my nerves, and there's not enough Diesel...I know it's not mine,I can tell. :L

Thanks for the reviews, I love them :D

Scraggly Kitten

Ranger let out a low groan, shaking his head an trying to pry Heidi off him. Said child was having none of it, and clung tighter to him crying loudly. it had been decided that Heidi needed her own space, and so they transformed the office on the penthouse, into Heidi's own room. She even got a big girl bed that was a soft lavender colored. This decision came after Stephanie and Ranger had wanted sex, but they really couldn't do it with a child around, so they made her room up.

"Come on Heidi," Ranger cooed, trying to pull Heidi off him, "Time to go to bed in your big girl bed."

"DADDY NO MEW!" Heidi wailed, holding Ranger tightly, "no mew! No mew!"

Stephanie giggled at the sight of Ranger pleading to the small child. It was a funny sight to see, watching Heidi and Ranger fight over bedtime. At the rate that Ranger was caving in, Heidi would be nestled right between the two again tonight. And that meant no sex…no sex….

"Heidi," Stephanie said going over to the girl that was sporting a yellow night gown, "How old are you?"

Heidi stopped crying and looked over to Stephanie. she gave Stephanie a watery smile and said, "Mew…" holding up four fingers.

"yup," Stephanie said, plucking Heidi from Ranger's arms, "And since you're four, that means you're a big girl and big girls don't cry, right?" Stephanie smile at the small nod she got, "Good, and they also sleep in their big girl bed, are you a big girl, Heidi?"

Heidi nodded her head and smiled up at Stephanie, "Mew, Big girl!" as Stephanie led her into her bedroom.

Stephanie laid Heidi down in her bed and said, "You sure are, now, let's see, which book would you like to read tonight, before you go to sleep."

Heidi pointed to the pile of book on the floor beside her bed and said, "Ivanhoe!" her eyes lighting up with happiness.

Stephaie grabbed the book and gave it to Heidi, who settled on the pile of fluffy pillows that lay behind her. Stephanie turned on the bedside light, and turned off the overhead light. She pulled the blankets up around Heidi, who was so engrossed in her book, she didn't even move as the kitten jumped up on the bed and lay beside her. Stephanie closed the door to her room softly and walked over to a stunned Ranger, "What?"

"Just like that, without a sob or a fuss, how'd you do it?" Ranger asked as Stephanie swept past him and sat in the living room, "She wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Well, I don't really know, all I know is that, I wanted sex, and she'd be right in the middle of the bed tonight, so had to make her see that she could survive through the night in her own bed." Stephanie said with a smile, before Ranger leaned down and kissed the breath out of her, "What was that?"

"You'd make a wonderful mother, Babe," Ranger said sitting beside Stephanie on the couch, "You work well with children."

"Oh, I don't it's just Heidi, she's so sweet and lovey dovey," Stephanie said looking at the closed door to Heidi's room, "If all children were like that, I wouldn't mind having one."

Ranger chuckled and said in a husky voice, "We could practice trying to make one of our own."

Stephanie blushed as Ranger kissed his way down her neck, "Ranger, I have a question for you," pushing the man off her, even if her mind screamed at her for doing it, "It's about Heidi, do you want-"

"Yes," Ranger said as he kissed Stephanie, "I want you to be a part of Heidi's life, I want you to be her mother."

"I think you're choosing wrong, Ranger, I don't think I'm mother material," Stephanie said as Ranger pulled her closer, his hands running down her waist, "I can't stand to be around children, they scare me!"

Ranger chuckled and kissed Stephanie again, his eyes dancing with joy, "Babe, you're so attentive around Heidi, and you're great with her, don't let the thought of all children scare you away from this one, she loves you and I want you to be with her for as long as she needs us."

Stephanie smiled and said, "Well, she isn't like any other child, she's reading books that most teenagers would never touch."

"Babe," Ranger said with a smile, "She loves you, I love you, I want us to be a family, not a burg family, but our own unique one."

"I can't cook," Stephanie said as Ranger kissed her softly.

"We have Ella,"

"I don't like changing diapers."

"Heidi's four, and she's potty trained."

"Do we have to go to school plays?"

That made Ranger look up and think, should they put Heidi in school? The way she grows, it would be impossible for her to stay in school, but she needed an education, what could he do? He would have to think of something later on.

"We'll deal with it, when it comes along," Ranger said as he kissed Stephanie, "Right now, I want to deal with the here and now, which is you…"

Stephanie smiled and said, "I can deal with that," as she leaned in to kiss Ranger, her hands resting on his shoulders.

Ranger kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping out and catching her lips, asking for her to open up so he could taste the inside of her mouth. Stephanie complied and then gasped as that powerful tongue swept through her mouth, tasting every part of her, sweeping into every crack and crevice that it could find. They broke apart, moments later, due to the lack of oxygen. They were breathing harshly, looking at one another. Stephanie let out a puff of air and said, "I want you so badly," before she pulled Ranger down and kissed him again, brutally.

They fell on the couch, with Ranger's weight nestled on top of her, like a warm presence. Stephanie gasped as Ranger leaned his head down and kissed her neck, finding her pulse and sucking hard on it, making Stephanie shudder with pure delight. Ranger leaned up and kissed her lazily on the cheek, before he got up and said, in a soft voice, "I'm going to check on the little one," before he made his way over to her room. Stephanie sat up and walked over to where Ranger stood in the middle of the doorway, looking over at the small person sleeping in the big bed. Heidi had fallen asleep, her book on her chest, and the kitten curled up over her head. Ranger walked over and lifted the book from Heidi's chest, placing it on the side table. He kissed Heidi's head and whispered, "buenas noches, Quedria."

Ranger turned the light off in the room, and grabbed Stephanie bye her waist. he kissed her deeply and growled, "Now, where were we?"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie let out a soft moan as she licked the sensitive head of Ranger's cock, letting her hand slid lazily up and down his stiff shaft as she took her time pleasing him. They had closed the door to Heidi's room and then made their way to Ranger's bedroom, where they had kissed for a while, before Stephanie pushed Ranger on the bed, pulled his pants down and began to suck him off.

Stephanie looked up to Ranger's face as he ran a large hand though her brown curls. His eyes were black with desire, and he was holding back all that he wanted to do to Stephanie. Stephanie smiled and slid her mouth over the head of his cock and began to bob up and down the shaft, fondling his sac and swiping her tongue underneath, making Ranger shudder with delight.

"Dios, Babe," Ranger said softly, his hands running through Stephanie's hair, "You're driving me wild."

Stephanie moaned as she took Ranger in her mouth, the vibrations adding on more pleasure. Ranger arched his back and groaned, "Babe, if you keep doing that, I'm going to cum."

Stephanie lifted her head up and said, rubbing Ranger's dick, "Cum in my mouth, then, I want it, Carlos," placing her mouth back on Ranger's sensitive dick.

Ranger groaned and began to thrust deeper in Stephanie's mouth, his orgasm quickly building. He felt his balls tighten and he let out a soft roar, his seed spilling down Stephanie's throat, earning a soft groan of bliss from the woman.

Stephanie lifted her head up, swallowing the load she was given. Ranger leaned down and kissed her deeply, tasting himself on her tongue. He pulled her up on the bed, and pulled off the jeans she wore, and tore off her shirt and bra, leaving her naked. Stephanie lay back on the bed, when Ranger motioned for her to do so, and let out a shiver as Ranger pulled her thighs apart, revealing her shaven pussy to him. Brown eyes turned dark with lust, once again, and Ranger leaned down, and kissed his way up to Stephanie's mound, enjoying the soft sounds she made as he did so. When he made it to Stephanie's mound, he decided to tease her, kissing and sucking on her outer lips, and ignoring the inner lips and the highly sensitive nub that was waiting for him to touch it. Ranger smiled as Stephanie whined in need and said, "Ranger! Stop teasing me! you bastard!"

"Ask and you'll receive," Ranger murmured, before he dove into Stephanie's pussy with his tongue and lips, earning a loud squeal from the woman above him. He licked her outer lips, nibbled on them until she withered above him, her thighs clamping hard on his head. His tongue found her clit, hard and highly sensitive, he gave it a few licks and then sucked it into his mouth, and sucked hard. the reaction was instantaneous. Stephanie arched her back, and let out a wail, cumming as hard as she could in Ranger's mouth.

Stephanie let out a low groan, falling bonelessly onto the bed, her breathing harsh. She watched as Ranger lifted her thighs up onto her shoulders, and then position his erection at her entrance. She couldn't hold back the sounds of bliss as he entered her slowly, filling her up, stretching her to her limits, Dios, she would never get bored of this!

Ranger groaned out, "You're so tight, Babe," bottoming out in Stephanie, their pelvis rubbing on another, "So tight."

Ranger slid out, and then quickly slid back in, setting the pace for this session. Stephanie cried out in bliss as she bounced on Ranger's cock, her hands plucking at her pink nipples. Ranger loomed over her as he pistoned inside of her, his face set, his eyes black. He leaned forward and kissed Stephanie saying in a low voice, "Dios, you drive me wild Babe, I love you, I'm never giving you up."

Stephanie arched her back and said, in a breathless tone, "Don't ever give me up, Carlos, I love you too."

They moved together at a fast pace, climaxing together. They lay afterward, basking in the glow of them having sex. Ranger cuddled Stephanie close to him and said, "Babe, I love you."

"I love you too," Stephanie said with a smile, and together, the two fell asleep.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"DADDY!" Heidi screamed running into the bedroom, "DADDY! WAKE UP MEW!"

Ranger opened his eyes and turned to watch as Heidi came bounding into the bedroom, the morning sunlight washing over her. he overslept, great, he would skip his work out and go right to-hold on….

"Daddy!" Heidi whined, pointing at the poxes on her skin, "Itchy bumps!"

Ranger picked up Heidi and said, "You have the chicken Pox, let's get you back into bed."

"No!" Heidi whined, looking up at Ranger, "We go to the park! 'Member?"

"I do remember, but you're sick, and we don't want you getting sicker," Ranger said, shaking Stephanie awake, "Babe, Heidi has the chicken Pox."

"Oh, that's good," Stephanie mumbled, turning in her sleep, "I hope you had the chicken pox too, it's worse when you get them as adults."

"Is it?" Ranger asked, looking over to Stephanie, "That would be a problem, I've never had chicken pox,"

Stephanie sat up, looked at Ranger, and then at Heidi and said, "Give me the girl, go pack a bag and go on the fourth floor, you can't be around Heidi since she has the chicken pox."

"Babe, I highly doubt-" Ranger started, but stopped at the look Stephanie gave him, "Alright, I'll go, it's not like I wanted to stay up here anyways."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi woke up to the sounds of her window opening. She let out a soft moan, and turned mindful of the itchy bumps. Ella and Stephanie had put some thick pink gunk on her body, to prevent the bumps from itching some more. It was working, she hardly felt itchy at all. They had set her up in the living room, watching TV and letting drink all the ginger ale she could handle. She was back in her bedroom now, because Ella was out in the living room cleaning, and Stephanie was preparing her dinner. What she really wanted, though, was her daddy, who she hadn't seen since this morning. She missed him a lot.

Heidi set up in her bed, and looked over to the open window. She couldn't see whatever opened the window, but she could feel it. It didn't feel good, it felt bad, something bad was coming after her! she was so weak and tired, she opened her mouth to call out for her daddy, but all that came out was a weak squeak.

"Oh my, little one, you have that human illness," A person said, materializing out of nothing, "Mistress is sure to eat you all up, you are too cute!"

Heidi whimpered and looked over to the person. He was a tall man, with bronze colored skin, and pitch black eyes that gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight. He wore a suit of black that accented his soft short black hair. He gave Heidi a skewed smile and said, "I'm sure you've enjoyed your time here with the humans, but now it's time to go see my mistress, she has big plans for you, little one."

"No!" Heidi whimpered, covering her face, "Daddy! Help!"

The man walked over to Heidi's bed and said, "You have no choice, no one can here you so there is no one here to save you-"

"Mew." The man and Heidi turned to the sound, seeing the kitten sitting on the desk in Heidi's room. The kitten gave the man a hiss and jumped off the desk and onto the floor. Heidi's eyes widened as her kitten, in a flurry of white leaves, grew large until it was the size of that huge dog she had seen in the park. The now big cat let out a yowl and bared it's lethal teeth, causing the man to falter. He chuckled and said, "no matter, you are just an overgrown cat-"

The overgrown cat let out a yowl, and opened its mouth to shoot black flames at the man, the flames catching his suit on fire. The man yelped and turned, trying to put out the black flames that quickly made their way up his body. The cat growled and charged at the man, grabbing him with powerful jaws, and tossing him out the opened window.

Heidi let out a squeak, getting up and going over to the window. She watched as the man let out a scream of agony, as he was consumed by the black fire as he fell. By the time he reached the ground, he was nothing but a pile of ash. Heidi turned to the large cat and said, "Mew?"

The large cat purred with delight and licked at Heidi's face, before it shrank back to the size of a tiny kitten. The door opened and Stephanie came in with a tray of soup and warm tea. She gave Heidi a look and asked, "Young Lady, what are you doing out of bed?"

"Mommy!" Heidi said with a smile, clapping her hands, "Mew! Mew! Mew!" pointing to the kitten.

"I know, he's scraggly looking," Stephanie said, putting the tray down on the desk, and picking Heidi up and placing her back in the bed, "Now, come on, let's eat dinner, and I'll read you a story."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

The woman let out a sigh as a servant told her that her best warrior failed his mission. She had been told that he died by being consumed by black flames. She only knew one creature that could produce such flames; the feline that protected the one who could control the tree. She hadn't thought about the creature, once its mistress had died, 2000 years ago, the feline had disappeared. Now that the one who control the tree is alive, it had a purpose to live again, she supposed.

"Oh, well, we shall have to try again, this time, I shall personally go and get the child." The woman said with a sigh, sitting up in the chaise she sat on, "I do hate getting my nails dirty too…poo!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"It would seem that the Queen of the Nightwalkers is after Experiment 089," The woman said softly to the man that stood by the window, "Shall I make arrangements for you to deal with her nonsense?"

The man waved his hands no and turned to the woman that stood by the door to his office, "No, my sweet one, this will be Manoso's test, to see if he could truly protect the one from those who want her, if he has a problem with Nightwalkers, then he will have problems with the demons, and the other creatures that desire her power."

"You know the Suits from the Agency will step in," The woman said softly, her soft blue eyes on the man's handsome face, "They do not want experiment 089 to fall into the wrong hands, like yours."

"I did nothing evil, destroying the earth of those vile humans is a gift I would impart on this planet." The man said with a smile, "Thouse Suits, are nothing more than human lovers, they were singing a different tune 2000 years ago, but I guess if they will not destroy the humans, I will have to do it."

TBC…

Could I spare a moment of your time and ask for some reviews? I love feedback and your comments make me all fuzzy inside, thank you!


	10. Wake Up

Chapter 10, enjoy!

Thanks for the reviews, I love them!

(Don't worry, Margaret,they'll get married soon, not too soon, though...)

WARNING: Death(s)? Gore! and ULTRA DOUCHEBAG MORELLI!

I know, this isn't mine, okay, cool I got it, not mine, not making any money, jeez, we know!

Wake Up

Diesel eyes widened as he looked at the group of demons before him. He had never, never in all of the 200 years he ruled the demon world had a group openly dare to defy the demonic laws that had been written down since the beginning of written history.

"You are really going to do this, you all are going to turn your back on the demon world, and face permanent exile to the human world?" Diesel asked the group who looked stoic at the Demon Lord.

"Yes, our true Lord waits for us," The one demon in front of the group said with a smile, "He will use the power of the one who controls the tree and soon, both the human and demonic world will be a washed and created new."

"The one who controls the tree?" Diesel asked, looking at the group, "What are you going on about?!"

The group leader slid his sleeve down to reveal a mark on his wrist. Diesel peered at the symbol on the wrist and said, softly, "So, this symbol is tied to the tree that you can see on the horizon."

"Indeed it is, and soon, you will bow down and meet your death from it, oh great Demon Lord." The demon said, before the group dissipated in a cloud of smoke.

Diesel turned to Rebecca and asked in a low voice, "How many? How many of our kind have run off to join this fucking cult?!"

"Too many," Rebecca said softly, her eyes hard, "This is not any threat we've dealt with, My Lord, the night walkers are on the move, and as are several other sects, they're searching for the one who controls the tree in the horizon."

"Fuck," Diesel said, leaning against the wall, "Rebecca, we must find the one who controls this fucking invisibale tree, and hopefully make them see what's going on in all the worlds.""

"How do we find them? we don't even know if they truly exist," Rebecca said her voice showing her fear, "For all we know it could be a ploy, started by someone to start a fucking war!"

"It could be, Rebecca, that you're right, that this is just a war in the making, but for now, all we know is that several demons and possibly several other creatures bear that mark, we need to find the creator of that mark and shake them down."

Rebecca sighed and said, "I'll talk to our liaisons in the nightwalker world and the other worlds," walking past Diesel, "Oh, you only have several days-"

"I know, I know…" Diesel said, waving Rebecca off, "I know how may days I have until I need to find a mate!"

"I'm glad you remembered, My Lord," Rebecca said as she left the demon lord to think.

Diesel sighed and said softly, "I guess I should bite the bullet and find a mate….or something…but this tree, and this cult following, it really has me worried."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Scarlet rubbed her tired eyes, looking at the screen in front of her. The demons, the nightwalkers, and several other creatures were making their moves, all to get Heidi. The majority of them are the ones that swore to protect and watch over the poor girl, but many abandoned that oath thanks in part to that man she once called-

Scarlet shook her head and said with a sigh, "Fucking men, why are some of them dogs, why did he have to betray her like that, why did he have to thirst for such forbidden power?"

Scarlet didn't know why, but she had to warn Manoso, she had to tell him who he was watching over. The Suits be damned, she was higher up than those fools, she would confess all to Ranger, she would tell him all about Heidi , and her true identity.

While on the subject of Heidi, Scarlet elaned back in her chair, and thought about the day in the park, thinking about Diesel holding Heidi, and playing around with, for some odd reason, she felt as though she had seen that look of happiness on someone else before, a long time ago, but who?

Scarlet shook her head and then picked her phone up, she dialed the number Ranger had given her and pressed the send button. Ranger picked up the phone in one ring.

"Talk," Ranger said, making Scarlet giggle at the horrible manners the man had on the phone.

"Manoso, it's Scarlet, I must tell you something, but not over the phone, people could be listening, please, meet me at the little café called Little Moon on route one in Pennsylvania, meet me there in three hours."

Ranger was quiet for a moment and then he said, "I'll bring Heidi, Stephanie is going to spend time with her father and grandmother, and I want Heidi close by to me."

"Okay, it's for the best I supposed." Scarlet said, looking up at the screen, "Call me when you're thirty minutes away from the Café."

"I'll be there, Scarlet," Ranger said softly.

"Ranger, be careful, for some odd reason, I sense something ominous is going to happen to you," Scarlet said, before she hung up the phone.

Scarlet gripped her wrist, the one that held the symbol on it and said, "Something ominous indeed, why do I feel this way, now?"

Scarlet got up and walked over to her master bedroom, where Jeanne lay in the bed, sleeping softly. Scarlet shook Jeanne awake and said, "Sexy, wake up, we're meeting Heidi and Ranger for Lunch."

Jeanne groaned and said, turning to Scarlet, "Scarlet, let me sleep some more, okay? You kept me up all night long."

Scarlet smiled leaning forward and kissing Jeanne on her lips, "No sexy, you need to wake up, and get dressed, bring that gun of yours, we're going to need it."

Jeanne sat up looking at Scarlet, "I totally thought we would be just be getting food, not killing people."

Scarlet slid off her robe, and said turning to Jeanne, "We are going to get food, but I have a feeling we'll have to work before we eat."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ranger looked over to Heidi, who lay on her stomach in the living room, coloring in a coloring book. She had a tongue stuck out in concentration and her eyebrow furrowed as she colored. The little kitten was curled up beside her watching her color. Every now and then, Heidi would point to the kitten and say, "Go big mew kitten!" only to get a tiny mew for a reply and a nuzzle to her chin.

Ranger chuckled watching Heidi pout at the kitten and then go back to coloring. She had been on and on about the little kitten and how it had gotten as big as a cow. Ranger and Stephanie think that Heidi's mind is on over drive. Oh well, he really didn't know, she was now six or seven, and at the that age she was going on and on. She really needed to go to school of some sort, but he had yet to find a solution to that. She could read, no bones about it, and Ella had gotten her educational videos, that she would watch and suck in all that they had like a sponge. Lester had given her books about science, history and even math, and she stormed through them like they were nothing.

Ranger walked over to his child, and said, "Quedria, time to go meet Auntie Jeanne and Scarlet, okay?"

"'Kay!" Heidi said with smile getting up and running to grab her flip flops, "Kitty go mew?"

Ranger looked over to the kitten, who got up and trotted over to the door, "Kitty can go with us."

Ranger held Heidi's hand and the kitten in the other arm, leading the two to the elevator. Heidi looked up to Ranger and said, "I love you Daddy!" hugging Ranger's leg

"I love you too, Quedria." Ranger said, rubbing the top of Heidi's head, "Let's take the Cayenne, yes?

"'Kay!" Heidi said, running over to the Cayenne, "Help me up, Daddy!"

Ranger chuckled and opened the Cayenne and placed Heidi in the booster seat that sat in the back. Ranger gave Heidi the kitten who squealed and hugged the kitten. Ranger slid into the car and drove it out the underground garage of Rangeman. As he drove down the road, Ranger felt as though he was being followed, but, he couldn't see them.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Joe smiled softly, watching the black Cayenne drive out of the underground garage. He would have to do this now. He turned the POS car on and drove behind Ranger, keeping three cars behind him, that way, he wouldn't be caught by the man.

Joe drove for miles, following Manoso. He wondered where Manoso was going, it really didn't matter, he would make it there anyways."

When they were the only two cars on the road, Joe sped up behind the Cayenne. He was going fast on purpose, he was going to make Manoso crash. Joe hit the gas pedal again, tuned the stirring wheel to clip Manoso by the side of his car, doing a pit maneuver. Joe watched as Manoso lost control of the car swerving on the road. He watched Manoso try to get control of the Cayenne, but Joe wasted no time, hitting the Cayenne again, watching as the Cayenne went off into a steep ditch on the side of the road. Joe pulled up on the side of the road close to crash and got out, walking into the ditch. He wasted no time, he opened the door to the cayenne, and yanked a barely conscious Manoso out of the car. He heard a soft cry in the back and saw the child crying softly, holding a hissing kitten to her chest. Joe smirked, taking a Taser out and using it on Ranger, who grunted and fell down hard. Joe tossed the man into the POS car, and then turned to the child. He unbuckled Heidi and yanked her out, but the kitten jump at him. Joe growled and tased the cat, watching it fall twitching periodically. The child screamed and cried for the kitten, as Joe tossed the little girl into the POS car.

Oh yeah, he made a call to the military, telling the General that he had Manoso and the girl, and where they were. He had about a few hours before the military came, he wanted to have some private time with Manoso.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ranger let out a groan as Morelli tossed him into the back of the car. Fucking Morelli, he should have known. Morelli had been silent for so long, after that dinner, that maybe that Morelli had slithered off to some hole to die. Too bad that hadn't been the case, now he and Heidi were in danger. The moment that the back of the Cayenne had been hit, did his fears had been confirmed, someone was following him, someone had tailed him. He had been on the phone with Scarlet, telling her that he would be at the café soon, when he had been hit the first time. He had to drop the phone to gain control the Cayenne, but the second hit to the car had him spinning out of control and into the ditch. The air bag had deployed and Ranger heard Heidi's screams and sobs in the back, he had to get out of his seat, to get her out of the Cayenne, but the door was wrenched opened and Ranger was jerked out of the car. He looked up and saw Joe smirking down at him, holding a Taser. Ranger felt the Taser jolt him, and Ranger fell down hard. Joe tossed him into the POS car and then Ranger heard Heidi's screams and her yelling, "MEW! MEW!" before he felt her small body be thrown on top of him. Ranger felt the POS car begin to drive off, and Joe was making small talk to someone on a phone.

"General Smith…." Morelli had started, "I got Manoso and the package you wanted, "Three hours, great….I want to have a nice chat with Manoso."

Ranger groaned and felt Heidi hug him tightly, her head buried in his chest, "Daddy…scared Daddy…"

He wanted to hold and comfort the child, but he couldn't he was still going through the motions from being hit with a Taser.

"Manoso, we're going to have a nice long chat before the military comes and takes your brat, for whatever the fuck they want with her."

Ranger groaned softly, having no movement of his body. He had to protect Heidi, he had too!

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Scarlet and Jeanne looked down at Scarlet's cell phone, their faces grim. Jeanne took out her cell phone and speed dialed Diesel, who answered quickly

"Jeanne, Ranger's gone missing, Stephanie got a call from Tank, saying that the tracker on the Cayenne went off the map," Diesel said frantic, "Heidi was with him."

Jeanne inhaled sharply, but Scarlet said, "Diesel, get Stephanie and take her to Rangeman, we'll be there in about a few hour, we're going to get Ranger and Heidi."

"How are you two-" Diesel started, but Scarlet hung up Jeanne's phone. Jeanne looked up at Scarlet, looking in shock at the woman, "Why'd you do that?"

"We're going to get Heidi and Ranger, come with me, Sexy." Scarlet said her face grim, as slid out the booth of the café, "We don't have much time."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"DADDY!" Heidi screamed watching Joe as he punched Ranger in the stomach, causing the man to grunt in pain, blood dribbling from his mouth, "STOP IT! YOU'RE HURTING DADDY!"

They were in a place that Heidi had never been before, a barn of some sort, deep in the woods. Joe had dragged Heidi's father into the barn, and chained him up in the middle of the abandoned barn. Heidi had been dragged in as well, and stuck in a corner. The poor child had been to terrified to move as this bad man made her daddy hurt. She wanted to do something, but, what could she do?!

"Not so tough now, Manoso!" Morelli growled, hitting the chained man again, "You took my cupcake! You took my wife! My wife! She's mine, and once you're dead, I'll get her back."

Ranger chuckled, spitting out blood, "Like she'll come back to you, you slept with her mother." earning another punch to the face.

"DON'T YOU PATRONIZE ME MANOSO!" Morelli roared, kicking the man in the side, "Fucking piece of shit!"

Ranger felt the chains go slack, and he fell to the ground in a heap. From what he could tell, he had several broken ribs, several brusied organs and a broken nose, well, he had worse done to him before, this is nothing new. Ranger turned hearing soft sobs in the corner. Heidi was looking at him, her eyes wide, tears pouring down them.

"It's okay, Quedria, I'll portect you," Ranger said to the child, earning a head shake, "You have to be a big girl, Quedria."

"Daddy!" Heidi sobbed, getting up and going over to the injured man, "Daddy, I'll protect you daddy."

Morelli sneered at the scene before him and said, "How cute! the little brat is going to protect you now! Fuck, look at how big she is now, I bet she's going to be a class a slut when she grows up."

Ranger sat up, and nearly gagged at the gleam in Morelli's eyes, that gleam aimed at his daughter. That piece of shit! Ranger got up and said, spitting out more blood, "Stay away from my daughter, you fucking sicko!"

Ranger hid Heidi behind him, glaring at the man, and wishing he had his knives and guns on him, but Morelli was a smart man, he took off all his weapons, and found all the trackers on him and destroyed them. it was literally just the three of them, backup may never come. If all he could do was kill Morelli before he harmed his child, then that's what he'll do.

"I bet she's going to scream loudly as I fuck her," Morelli said, his eyes on Heidi, "I'll break her, and break your soul while you watch Manoso."

Ranger narrowed his eyes, which were dark with rage. Before he knew what he was doing, he launching himself at Morelli, who smirked and let him rush towards him. Ranger knew he made an error, the moment he got close to Morelli, he had felt the pain from a knife stabbing through flesh and muscle. Ranger's eyes widened and he looked down to see one of his knives deeply embedded in his stomach.

Morelli laughed as Ranger staggered back, gripping the black handle of the knife. He walked over to Ranger and said, grabbing the handle of the knife, "I win, Manoso, I fucking win," pulling the knife out of Ranger, earning a sharp cry from Ranger and Heidi, who sat mere inches from the two men.

"DADDY!" Heidi screamed, going over to Ranger, "Daddy!"

"Quedria." Ranger said as Heidi hugged his arm, his other arm and hand covering the fatal stab wound "You need to run, go and run away."

"No, I'll save you, Daddy," Heidi sobbed, holding the man tightly, "Heidi will save you."

Heidi didn't know what to do, what could she do, to save her daddy! She could feel him dying, but she didn't know how she could stop him from dying! Heidi turned to the evil man in front of hearing him say, "Aww how sweet, but it's too late, sweetie now how about we-"

Heidi screamed as a hand went through, Morelli's chest and a woman slid up behind the man and said in a sweet voice, "How about you die, human, how dare you try to taint this wonderful being."

Heidi watched with Horror as the woman grabbed Joe's neck and tore his head off with ease. She turned to Ranger and shook his body, whimpering, "Daddy, get up, get up, daddy!"

When Ranger didn't move, Heidi shook him again, sobbing, "Daddy, wake up," her voice cracking,sobs choking her.

"Oh dear, he's dead ,little one," The woman said sweetly, walking up to Heidi and Ranger's body, "No matter, humans have no need on the world that we will build."

Heidi looked down at Ranger's still form, her eyes wide, and her mouth slack. Not her daddy, no! she needed him, she needed her daddy! Heidi hugged the body and said, "Daddy…"her small hands reaching down to grab a wrist, "Daddy…"

The woman felt a pulse go through her, and she looked down at her wrist, to see the symbol that was on it light up. She looked over to Heidi and said, "Yes, little one, show me your true powers!"

Heidi could see the white leaves falling around her quickly, like a blizzard, as if cocooning her from the outside world, it was just her and her daddy. She would save her daddy, no matter what. Heidi gripped the wrist tightly and said in a soft voice, "Heidi will save you daddy…"

The woman could only watch as the small child began to glow, the leaves whipping around her, her small hands gripping the limp wrist. The pulse was strong now, and steady, the symbol on her arm was brighter than any artificial light she had ever seen.

"Daddy….." Heidi whispered her eyes closed, before they snapped opened,"Wake up!"

It was an instant reaction. Ranger's lifted his head and let out a sharp breath of air. He let out a cry as he felt broken bones, damaged organs and the fatal stab wound heal itself, what was going on? Once the pain of healing past, Ranger leaned back against the barn wall breathing harshly. With shaking hands, he wrapped them around Heidi, who squealed out, "Daddy's awake!" and hugged him tightly.

"Heidi?" Ranger asked, looking down at the child.

"Aww what a wonderful reunion, too bad it's short lived, human, but now, you must die!" The woman said, baring lethal teeth and clawed fingers.

"Over my dead body!" A voice said from the entrance of the barn, "Die bitch!"

The woman let out a cry, as a bullet went right between her eyes. She staggered back, like a puppet that had its strings cut, before she fell to the ground, her body turning into ashes as it fell. Jeanne let out a sigh, and holstered her gun. She turned to Scarlet and the kitten in the woman's hands and said, "You were right, the cat did know where Heidi and Ranger were."

Scarlet smiled and said, "I knew he did, they do have a connection," before she walked over to Ranger and Heidi, "Are you two okay?"

"I'm fine, so is Heidi, Morelli isn't though," Ranger said, getting up to his feet, holding Heidi tightly to him.

"Hmm, looks like The Queen of the Nightwalkers got to him, we need to leave now, that bullet to the brain won't keep as ashes for long, and the military is on the move" Scarlet said to the group, "Come on, I think we all could use a strong drink."

Jeanne sneered down at Joe's body and said, "Too fucking bad, I couldn't have killed the bastard," walking out the barn.

Scarlet rubbed Heidi's back, and led Ranger and Heidi out the barn and into the woods. Ranger smiled and looked down at his daughter, who had fallen asleep. He rubbed her back, but winced in pain as something raw on his wrist rubbed the material of her shirt. Ranger lifted his wrist up and noted with uneasiness that he had a symbol on his wrist. It was a circle made of thorns and white flowers, and in the circle was a woman on a cross of thorns.

Odd, where did this marking come from? Ranger didn't know what happened after he was stabbed, all he could remember was floating in darkness and then leaves, white leaves blowing around his floating form. He kept hearing someone call out for him saying, "Daddy, wake up, Daddy…" and then a woman appeared. The funny thing about was that the beautiful woman who appeared, looked just like Heidi. It couldn't have been Heidi who embraced him in his dreams, she's just a child.

Just a child…

Ranger paused in his walking to watch as a few white leaves fell down from the sky. Odd, there were no trees around here with white leaves such as that...

TBC…..

If you could, please, spare a girl a moment of your time and review, I love feedback and comments from the readers! thank you!


	11. Tree Of Life

Chapter 11, enjoy!

not mine, I know, I know, jeez, do we all know! pooh...

Tree Of Life

"Oh Ranger! Heidi!" Stephanie said, hugging the two as they walked into the penthouse, "Thank goodness you two are alright! Tank nearly flipped bricks when your tracker went dead, and the ones that were on had you pin pointed in fucking Asia!"

Ranger smiled as Stephanie checked him out, deeming him okay with a kiss to his cheek. Stephanie plucked Heidi from Ranger's arms asking, "Are you okay too, my darling Heidi?"

"Daddy wouldn't wake up, so I made him wake up," Heidi said with a smile, hugging Stephanie, "Daddy's alright now."

Scarlet watched the small family with a smile, watching them reassure one another that they would be fine. She turned her head to Diesel and frowned a nagging feeling in the back of her head. She had seen Diesel before, of course she knew him for a while now, but she had a feeling she knew him before, a long time ago.

Diesel frowned at the sight of the dried blood on Ranger's shirt, and at the hole that indicated that possibly, a knife went through that area. Diesel walked up to Ranger and said, "You were stabbed, and close to some major organs and arteries, Ranger, man, you shouldn't be alive."

Jeanne walked over to Ranger and pulled his shirt up. She hummed as she looked at the area and said in a low voice, "You should be dead, Manoso, how'd you survive that stab wound."

"Daddy wouldn't wake up, so I made him wake up," Heidi said softly, her face buried in Stephanie's neck.

Diesel and Jeanne shrugged their shoulders , Stephanie looked over to Ranger and said, "She keeps saying that you wouldn't wake up."

Scarlet froze, seeing something on Ranger's wrist. She walked over to the man and grabbed his wrist, and made a sound, seeing the symbol on his wrist, by all that is true and good.

"I've never seen a human before with this mark, they don't survive the process, which meant, you were dead when this happened," Scarlet said softly, examining the mark, "It's been a long time, since I've seen a fresh mark.

Scarlet looked up at four stunned faces and said in a soft voice, "I think it's time you were told the truth about Heidi, and who she is. The Suits wanted you ignorant, but I don't want you left in the dark, especially now that you've been marked."

Scarlet motioned for them all to sit down somewhere. She sat beside Jeanne on the love seat and looked at them all, before she landed her eyes on Heidi's form, "Do you see them, Heidi? The white leaves that fall from the big tree?"

"Yes," Heidi said, hiding her face in Ranger's chest, "You see them too?"

"I do, and now so does your father," Scarlet said, holding her wrist up and showing the group the same symbol Ranger had on his wrist, "We are the Guardians of Gaia."

"Gaia?" Stephanie said looking at Scarlet who nodded her head, "Who is Gaia?"

"Heidi is Gaia," Scarlet said with a smile, "Let me tell who Gaia is. Gaia is the being that watches over all life that walks on the surface of the planet. It's said that they live in a large tree called the Tree of Life. The Tree of life is only control by Gaia, and it has the power create life and to destroy life. People and creatures from all over the planet are chosen to watch over Gaia and to make sure no harm befalls them. That was what all our jobs were supposed to be, but, something happened, 200 years ago. I won't go into details about it, but Heidi, was betrayed by a group of Guardians wanting to harness the power of the Tree of Life. They used forbidden powers and tried to combine Heidi and the Tree of life as one entity, they were almost successful in their plot, but they were stop."

"How were they stopped?" Diesel asked Scarlet, who sighed and crossed her arms, looking down at her lap.

"Heidi was killed," Scarlet said, her eyes dark, "someone close to her took her life, to spare all life on earth, it wasn't an easy choice, but it had to be done."

Scarlet looked up into stunned faces and said, "Afterwards the group who betrayed Heidi fled, and the ones who remained loyal to Gaia all agreed that Gaia would not be resurrected, so we burned her body and sealed the tree away, it would seem that one of the betrayers had either the flesh or blood of Gaia, hidden away and used it to resurrect her, hence why Heidi is sitting in your lap Ranger."

Ranger wrapped an arm around Heidi's waist and said in a soft voice, "You don't expect me to kill this child?"

"No, heavens no!" Scarlet said her eyes wide, "I want for Gaia to live, we need her more than ever in fact! The group of those who betrayed Gaia is on the move trying to unseal the tree and to get Heidi."

Stephanie sat, taking all that Scarlet told them into her head. Heidi was a deity of some sorts, who was supposed to watch over all life, "This happened how long ago?"

"2000 years ago," Scarlet said softly, looking at Stephanie, "Yes, I know a long time ago. The past is now colliding with the present, and it's going to be a wild ride."

"Hungry, daddy, I'm hungry!" Heidi said tugging at Ranger's shirt, "Call Tia Ella, I want cereal!"

"Cereal? At 4 in the afternoon?" Ranger asked Heidi, earning a head nod, "What kind of cereal?"

"Life cereal," Heidi said, rubbing her stomach, "I'm hungry…"

"Okay, let's go get some cereal." Ranger said lifting Heidi up and carrying her into the kitchen, "We don't need to call Tia Ella, she left a box here for you."

As Ranger and Heidi left the living room, Stephanie shook her head and said, "What are we going to do with that girl? Spoiling her, she needs to go to school, and she needs to be protected from an angry cult!"

"Schooling, well, I can school her," Scarlet said with perking up, "Before I gave up my life to protecting Gaia, or Heidi, I was a scholar at a women's temple. So many memories…."

"So, you really have to give up your life to watch over Heidi?" Jeanne asked scarlet, earning a head nod, "so, if you were a diplomat, or a queen or king?"

"Yes, you would have to get step down and go devote your life to Heidi, she is after all higher up than any queen of king." Scarlet said wrapping an arm around Jeanne, "It's not a bad thing, you get to live with Heidi in the Tree of Life, you're taken care of, and you meet amazing people and creatures who go to the tree of life to pay their respects to Heidi."

"Did you ever leave the tree of life?" Diesel asked, interested, he felt as though he had been there before, and he didn't know why.

"No once you swore an oath to Heidi, you could never leave the Tree of Life, though there was this one person…" Scarlet started, her face flushed, "Never mind! It's not important! What's important is that Heidi gets a good education, and she gets it from me!"

"I highly doubt how to eat a girl out constitutes a good educati-OUCH!" Diesel rubbed his sore head, glaring at Scarlet who put her hands on her hips and glared at the man, "Okay, I shouldn't have said that, I'm a douche, I know!"

"You damn right you're a jerk," Scarlet said getting up, "I'll go tell Ranger that I'll give Heidi a proper education, reading, writing, arithmetic and culture, the works."

Jeanne shook her head saying, "Oh dear, by the time Scarlet is through with Heidi, she'll be a walking encyclopedia!"

Scarlet swatted at Jeanne, and made her way into the kitchen. Ranger and Heidi were at the breakfast bar, eating a bowl of cereal together. It was a comical sight, watching Heidi feed Ranger, and Ranger making loud chewing noises as she fed him.

"Ranger," Scarlet said walking over to the two, "I heard you were in need for some form of education for Heidi, well, look no further! I'll teach this wonderful creature the ins and out! she'll learn algebra, and history and culture!"

"Culture and history," Ranger said putting more cereal into the empty bowl, "She's 6-ish, I think we can just settle on getting her to write and do basic math and science, I don't see any problem with you teaching her, you seem to be a very intelligent woman."

"Scarlet's going to be my teacher! I like Scarlet!" Heidi said as Ranger poured milk for her cereal, "Thank you for teaching me, Scarlet!"

"You're welcome, I'll come by tomorrow, and we can start learning!" Scarlet said softly kissing Heidi on her head, "I'll collect, Jeanne and Diesel, and leave you three alone to recuperate from what happened to you both earlier today."

Scarlet rubbed Ranger's shoulders and then left the kitchen. Ranger sighed and turned to Heidi, who finished her cereal silently. Ranger paused, seeing white leaves fall close to his face. He turned to window and watched as leaves fell down, going through the glass of the windows and through the granite countertops of the kitchen. He held his hands up to catch the leaves, only to watch them go through his hands.

"I see them all the time too, Daddy," Heidi said sliding off the bar stool and going over to Ranger, "They come from that over there."

Heidi grabbed Ranger's hand and led him over to the window that faced east. Ranger could hardly believe what he saw; a tree, that loomed over the horizon. It was it was a black wooden color with branches that seemed to go up into the sky for miles. All the branches were covered in white leaves, some of the leaves falling down and into the ground.

"Where do the leaves go, Quedria? Ranger asked Heidi, earning a shrug.

"I don't know Daddy," Heidi said touching the glass window, "But sometimes, I can hear the tree, talking to me."

That had Ranger's attention, "Does it now? What does it say to you?" Ranger asked, looking down at his daughter.

Heidi smiled and said, "It says it misses me, but it can't see me, until the danger passes, what kind of danger, Daddy?"

"Big danger," Ranger said, ruffling his daughter's hair, "Now come on, let's go see Stephanie."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

General Smith shook his head, watching a team of military forensic team swept through the barn. They were expecting a dead Manoso, the package and Morelli, but found the body of Morelli, and that was it. whatever killed Morelli, did not like the man, his head had been torn off his body and something went through his chest. He would have been in pain before his death. General Smith growled in his throat, before he turned away from the lights that lit the dark barn. He would find the people, or persons responsible for Morelli's death. Not because they killed Morelli, but because they hindered in him catching the potential weapon of mass destruction.

"This has become an annoyance, I want-" General Smith started, but a shriek from one of the forensic techs had him turning on his heel to watch as the poor woman's throat was slashed wide open, "Sweet Jesus!"

One by one, all the military personnel feel to their deaths, a black blur running past the lights that lit the area up. They all fell, until it was only General Smith standing alone, surrounded by dead bodies and blood. General Smith took a step back, as a figure jumped down in front of him. It was a young woman, with long white hair and eyes of dark blue. Her skin was pasty white and she had a skewed smile. She took a step forward and said in a sweet voice, "I get the feeling, you're the one in charge of this group, or, you were."

The General stared the woman down and said, "Yeah, what of it?"

"I believe you were the one that Morelli was talking to," The woman said softly, walking around the general, "I apologize for killing the man, but, he threatened to have his way with Gaia, and I couldn't let that happen."

"Gaia, who is this Gaia you speak of?" The General asked, the woman who smiled and watched the General walked to her.

"Well, the child of course, your weapon of mass destruction," The woman said, baring fangs, "Oh yes, we are after the same entity, General, and because of that, I do believe that we can form some sort of relationship…."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Scarlet was not surprised about the Suits visiting her. They seemed to always find her when she crossed the boundaries they put in place.

"You are a fool, Scarlet," The browned eye man said walking over to Scarlet, who sighed and fluffed her hair up, preparing for a date with Jeanne, "You told Manoso what the child really is, humans are not supposed to ever find out!"

"I could not leave him in the dark any longer, Brutus," Scarlet said turning to the man, "Gaia marked him as one of her guardians."

"Impossible!" The grey eyed woman said her mouth open, "no human could ever survive that process!"

"I know, but he wasn't alive when he got the mark, Gaia brought him back to life," Scarlet said applying lipstick to her mouth, "Please, Theodora, I'm sure she has made several dead people rise again."

"Yes, she has, but she has never marked them as a guardian," The woman with glasses said crossing her arms, "What is so special about this man?"

"They've a bond, a father daughter bond, something Gaia has never had before, Helena," Scarlet said, applying the final layer of mascara, "I am sure Gaia would travel to hell and back for that man."

"Love, this is a concept we forgot to add in this thing," Theodora said softly, her eyes soft, "It won't be the first time that love has saved every single life on the planet."

"Yes," Scarlet said frowning, her eyes dark, "Why am I getting this feeling of Déjà vu? Every time I'm….never mind, now are you done yelling at your superior? I have a date with Jeanne, and we need to be at the restaurant in 40 minutes."

"I am sorry to be so cross with you, Scarlet, but you need to remember, that he is out there, looking for Gaia!" Brutus said to Scarlet who nodded her head and got up to put on a black dress, "She is in terrible danger and If more people knew her identity-"

"These people love and adore this child with all their hearts, they will not betray us nor will they harm Gaia," Scarlet said slipping the dress over her head, "I trust these people, and you should too."

Scarlet put on two diamond studs and said, "Now pardon me, my Jeanne awaits!" before she pushed her way past the three Suits, "Listen to the Head Guardian, they will protect Gaia!"

Scarlet turned to the three and said in a low voice, "We could us all the help, more creatures are coming out the woodwork for this child."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"So it would seem that Gaia has created another Guardian, Manoso…"The man said staring out the window to look at the busy city before him, "Does this not excite you, my dear?"

"Why should it, it seems to be bad news," The woman said softly, walking up to the man and placing a hand on his shoulder, "There is another Guardian to destroy."

"It means," The man said lifting the woman's wrist up to reveal that she too had the same symbol on her wrist, "That Gaia is tapping into her powers, she is growing stronger, and soon, we shall unseal the Tree and take over this hopeless planet."

The woman smiled and said, "Yes, soon, it will be a utopia, a utopia in your image…."

"And you shall be my Queen, ruling on top of the Tree of life, at my side," The man said kissing the woman tenderly, "Yes, Gaia and the Tree will become one being, soon…"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi pressed a small hand to the window, looking up at the large black tree. She could feel it, pulsing with life. It was pulsating in a pattern, as if it was trying to communicate with her again. What did it want to say now? She knew that they could not be together now, it was much too dangerous, what message did it want to leave her?

"_You've made the right choice in a new Guardian…_" A voice whispered in her ear, causing Heidi to smile and nod her head.

"Yes, Daddy will never go to sleep again," Heidi said to the tree, just as Stephanie walked into her room and said with a smile, "Bedtime story?" holding up a fairy tale.

"Yes, Mommy!" Heidi said running over to Stephanie and hugging her legs, "I love you, Mommy, I'll make sure you never fall asleep too."

Stephanie smiled down at Heidi and said, "I could use a nap though, but first, let's read, "_The Snow Queen_…" I think you'll like this one, Heidi."

Heidi smiled and cuddled up beside Stephanie on the bed. She turned to watch Stephanie read out loud, this was her mommy, and she was important too, just like her daddy, she would make sure nothing happens to her mommy too.

Heidi turned her slightly, watching a few white leaves fall by her bed; she wondered if her mommy would see them soon too, just like her and her daddy. She will, Heidi would make sure of it, even if she didn't know what she was doing.

TBC….

If you could...take a moment of your time to leave me a review, I love feedback and comments! thank you! :D


	12. Reincarnation

Chapter 12, enjoy!

Not mine, I know, I know, nothing belongs to me...damnit...

Diesel centric chapter folks! cuz...I love this man! ~swoons~

Reincarnation

_"Tell me you love me," A voice whispered in his ear, causing him to raise an eyebrow and look at the person looming over him._

_"I love you," He said in his most serious voice, earning a giggle from the person above him, "I love you."_

_"I love you too," The person said, laying their head on his chest, "I am glad you can see the Tree Of Life, Most people cannot…why can you see it?"_

_"I do not know, maybe it is because of what lies inside of the Tree of Life," He said softly, looking up at the person above him._

_"What is that?" The person asked, sitting up, looking at him._

_"You," He said before he kissed the person's full lips, "I love you…"_

_"Stay with me, forever," The person sighed, after they broke the kiss, "Don't leave me or the Tree of Life."_

_"I don't plan on it," He said with a smile, looking up at white leaves, which seemed to shine in the night sky, "This is like paradise."_

_"It's even more of paradise, now that you are with me," The person said sitting up and looking up into the sky, "I love being at the top of the tree, I can almost touch the stars, and it's always dark up here."_

_"And the Guardians are forbidden to come up here as well," He said , sitting up and looking at the person beside him, "Why is that?"_

_"Because, there is something up here, something forbidden to everyone, how you are up here amazes me, usually, when someone tries to come to the top, they are whisk away to somewhere else." The person said softly, "I am glad you are allowed up here, I come up here, and it is lonely, but with you, it's our private get away..."_

_"Away from pesky Guardians that try to chase me away…"He said wrapping an arm around the lithe waist of his lover, "Away from everything."_

_"Yes, we should stay up here forever," His lover said leaning into him, looking up at him with those bright eyes, "Me and you…."_

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Diesel sat up in his bed, his chest heaving and the dream he had still fresh on his mind. He ran a hand through his wild blond hair, and then groaned, sliding out of silk sheets of soft green. He preferred his cotton sheets, but Scarlet was a woman of wealth and expensive taste. Okay, he was wealthy too, but he didn't flaunt it like Scarlet.

Scarlet….the woman had wanted him to stay with her, for reasons why, he didn't know. Diesel was getting irked about that woman. She had become even odder. She would stare at him for long periods of time, but then look away, muttering something on the lines of déjà vu. What the hell had her saying something like that to him. He was pretty sure he had only known Scarlet for only a few years. He was pretty sure about that.

Diesel walked over to the balcony of the penthouse suite that Scarlet owned in New York City. He leaned on the metal railing, and watched the sun rise. As he watched, he thought about the dreams he had been having and the memories that filled his head. He was 100 percent certain, that these memories were not his own. They couldn't be, for once, he hadn't lived long enough to walk through ancient Rome or Greece. He had never ever seen the city of Atlantis, in real life, plus, he was certain that he had never been inside of a black tree with white leaves before. Wasn't that the tree of life, the one that Scarlet told them about? You needed to be a Guardian to see it, right? So…where were these memories coming from? Was he a Guardian?

Diesel looked down at his wrist, but found it smooth and mark free. No, he couldn't be one, then, why was he dreaming about it?

Diesel turned his baby blue eyes to the sunrise and frowned. No way, he could see something, an outline of a tree of some sort…it was almost invisible, but he was certain, he could see it. Was that the tree Scarlet was talking about? Holy shit, it was huge! Wait a minute, why was he seeing this? He shouldn't be able to see this, only Guardians, or whatever.

What was going on?

(~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Diesel let out a sigh, walking past Scarlet and Jeanne into the kitchen, to get himself some breakfast. He grabbed himself a bagel and sat down across from Jeanne, who was eating a grapefruit, and Scarlet, who was reading the ancient brown leather book that he had given her nearly a week ago. He hadn't heard much from Scarlet about it, and he was curious.

"What's inside the book?" Diesel asked Scarlet, causing the woman to look up at the man and close the book, a blush on her face.

"Oh, I guess the government assumed this would be the way to crack the enigma that is Gaia." Scarlet said softly, covering her cheeks, "This is actually Gaia's personal journal, you know, most teenage girls have one…"

"Oh…that's a diary!" Jeanne said leaning close to Scarlet, who blushed and closed the book, "Wait…Heidi's a deity, why should she have a Journal!"

"Well, she was a young deity, in human years she could past for her early 20's." Scarlet said leaning back in her chair, "She had emotions and issues, just like any other young woman, I gave it to her after a festival. She was very thankful, I shouldn't be reading this, but it's all in the past, though, it feels like I'm invading Heidi's privacy…."

"Well, we can't read it," Jeanne said, grabbing the book and opening it, as if trying to read it, "it's written in like, ancient Sumerian, or something."

"Indeed," Diesel said, grabbing the book, and opening it too, "It's not like I..can..read…."

Diesel blinked, watching the letters twist and mold on the ancient paper. He watched as English words appeared on the paper, and then he could easily read;

_3 weeks before the Warm Solstice,_

_Well, journal…book, or whatever I should name you, I have a lot to tell you! I met a man. Yes, I know there are men here as my Guardians, but, Journal, this is not a Guardian, and he can see the Tree of Life! Oh goodness, Journal, I was sitting on one of the branches that went out the furthest from the tree and hid me from Scarlet. I was minding my own, enjoying the soft breeze, when a man appeared beside me. Journal, he was so handsome…tall, with hair the color of soft new hair and eyes as blue as the sky on a clear day. he wore breeches of black and a shirt that matched the color of his eyes. he was so handsome, Journal!_

Diesel closed the book, saying in a soft voice, "I can't read it, it looks like gibberish to me…."

Scarlet nodded her head and said to Diesel, "You were up early this morning, what had you up so early, you're more of a afternoon waking up kind of guy."

Diesel shook his head and then asked Scarlet, "Dreams, I think…or memories…Scarlet, did Gaia, did she ever have a lover?"

Scarlet dropped the cup she was holding in her hands and looked up to Diesel, who rose an eyebrow at Scarlet's reaction, "Why ask such crazy questions! You know that Gaia-"

"Scarlet, I've been having dreams, dreams or memories, about Gaia, the Tree of Life, and about some man," Diesel said softly, "They're not my memories, that's for sure…."

Scarlet blinked, and then she said in a soft voice, "No wonder why I have Déjà vu around you, Diesel, oh goodness, the fates, they play a funny game, most of the time."

"What are you going on about, woman?" Jeanne asked Scarlet, earning a soft, chuckle from the woman, "Helloooo!"

"Ah, I see it now, no wonder why I was attracted to you, my dear Diesel, you are a reincarnated soul." Scarlet said with a smile, "And it happens to be that you were once Gaia's lover…."

"Uh…come again?" Diesel asked dumbly, looking at the woman.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie let out a groan, falling with a soft 'thud' on the black mats of Rangerman. Why oh why had she agreed to let Jeanne train her in some self defense? Jeanne was a tough teacher, the moment that Stephanie had walked into the Ranger gym, dressed in her cute pink yoga pants and the matching pink tank top, Jeanne had pounced on her poor defenseless self. Push ups, crunches, pull ups, treadmills, the works! Jeanne wouldn't even give her a break…not right!

"Plum! Are you listening to me?!" Jeanne snapped walking up to Stephanie's prone form, "Get up! Break time is over!"

Stephanie let out a long whine, getting up on her hands and knees, "But Jeanne, my legs hurt!"

"Get up, Mommy! Beat Auntie Jeanne," Heidi whooped waving her hands sitting in Scarlet's lap, "Auntie Jeanne, go easy on Mommy."

"If I do," Jeanne said, cooing to Heidi and petting her head, "Mommy won't learn."

"She won't?" Heidi asked, biting her lip and looking at Stephanie, "Oh, then you should be tougher on her then, GO AUNTIE JEANNE! BE TOUGHER ON MOMMY!"

"Heidi!" Stephanie whined sitting down, "you're not supposed to be rooting for my ass kicking…geez…"

"Oops," Heidi said with a giggle, "Sorry Mommy…."

"Babe,' Ranger said walking up to the small group, "I don't think Jeanne likes it, when you're sitting around."

"Shut up, you bum!" Stephanie said getting up, her chest heaving, "Why don't you come over here and fight Jeanne!"

Jeanne looked over to Ranger and said, "Well, Manoso, wanna show your woman how to properly defend yourself?"

Ranger shook his head, with a small smile, and then walked up to Jeanne and said, "Okay, I'll show you how to defend yourself, Babe."

Stephanie limped over to Scarlet and Heidi's corner and said, "Fine, show me how you defend youself."

Ranger walked over to Jeanne, who smiled and stretched her muscles as she waited for Ranger to slip his shoes off and prepare to fight Jeanne.

"I don't know who to root for!" Heidi said with a frown looking up at Scarlet, "Daddy or Auntie Jeanne!"

Scarlet giggled and said, hugging Heidi, "You can root for the both of them, okay?"

"Okay! GO AUNTIE JEANNE, GO DADDY! BEAT EACH OTHER UP!" Heidi whooped, bouncing in Scarlet's lap, "Go! Go! Go!"

Stephanie rolled her eyes and leaned back against the wall, "Oh bother, Heidi, where was my support?!"

"You need to get stronger, Mommy, just like Daddy and Auntie Jeanne." Heidi said her voice serious, "Now, GO DADDY AND AUNTIE JEANNE!"

Ranger and Jeanne got into a fighter stance, and then the two jumped each other. As they fought, Jeanne spoke out loud to Stephanie.

"Plum! When fighting, you must always be in a defensive stance, protect the face and any important organs, put your arms up in front of your face, and crouch, to protect the organs." Jeanne said as she and Ranger fought, "Now, if your opponent is a male, aim for where it hurts, the balls!"

At that excalimation Jeanne aimed low, and then Ranger let out a hiss as Jeanne hit him where'd it hurt. Jeanne smiled with satisfaction as Ranger fell to his knees, covering his groin. Jeanne smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet, "You gotta be on your toes, Manoso, just because we're colleagues doesn't mean I won't kick you in the balls!"

Heidi jumped out of Scarlet's lap and over to Jeanne, snapping, "You big meaning, Auntie Jeanne! You can't hurt my daddy!" swinging her little fist back and aiming for Jeanne, who laughed and puffed her chest out.

"Okay! Hit me-AH!" Jeanne said, flying across the room, hitting the wall with a thud.

Scarlet, Ranger and Stephanie blinked dumbly, looking at Heidi who pulled her fist down and said, with a sniff, "No one hurts my Daddy, not even you, Auntie Jeanne."

"Oh Daddy!" Heidi said, running over to Ranger and hugging him, "How are you, Daddy! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Quedria," Ranger chuckled, getting up on his feet, "I've handled worse…."

"Damn!" Jeanne said, getting up and going over to Heidi, who turned her back to Jeanne, "You pack a punch, sweet heart!"

"You punched my daddy!" Heidi said pouting, her arms crossed, "I'm still mad, kinda-ish."

"Kinda-ish," Jeanne asked, picking Heidi up and cuddling her, "Okay, well, let's go get some ice cream, and maybe we can talk about you being kinda-ish angry…"

"Okay," Heidi giggled as Jeanne carried her out the gym, leaving the other three adults stupefied. What had they seen?

Scarlet got up and said stunned, "I've never seen Gaia smash a bug before. Hmm, maybe that's why, she's quite strong."

Stephanie went over to Ranger and said, "She's very strong, do you think we should be worried?"

"No, we shouldn't, she's a very peaceful child, as long as no one is swinging at us, we she be great."

Stephanie smiled and then said, "Well, you know, Jeanne and Heidi have It right, going upstairs to get some ice cream, I think I should go upstairs as well and-"

"Stephanie, you're not done with your self-defense, come on," Ranger said grabbing the woman by her waist, "I can show you some defense punches and kicks."

Scarlet chuckled and said with a smile, "I'm going to go off and set up Heidi's schooling, Calculus, Classical Gothic History, and literature, and opera! "

"Opera?" Stephanie asked, as Scarlet skipped out the gym, "Opera?"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"who would have thought that you would be a reincarnated soul!" Scarlet said with a smile, looking at Diesel, "Jeez, no wonder why I liked you, you reminded me of Gaia's Lover. He was such a head strong creature, but he did have a heart of gold."

Diesel rubbed his eyes and then looked up to Scarlet, who was watching Heidi do Algebraic problems. So those dreams, they were memories, of his past life, as a deity's lover.

"What was he like?" Diesel asked Scarlet softly, his eyes half closed, "The man…who had my soul."

Scarlet made a sound and said looking far away, "He was a powerful creature….there had been rumors that he was a demonic god of some sorts. That could have been a reason why he saw the Tree of Life. He told Gaia that he had appeared on the planet, due to the fact that something had been calling him, calling his soul, and he had to answer. When he landed in front of Gaia…Gaia told me that the man had told her that he had found the question and answers all at once."

Diesel frowned and said, "Why did he died?"

Scarlet made a soft sound, and said, "His death was linked to Gaia's death. She….uh…it's a long story…a Guardian, found the forbidden power and used the power to combined the Tree of Life and Gaia into one being. The city of Atlantis had been destroyed, due to the combination, Greece and Rome would have been lost too, if it were not for Gaia's lover. Diesel, he killed Gaia."

Diesel looked up and said stunned, "Killed her! why? Why would he kill his lover! He loved her! he would have never done…"

"Gaia told him to kill her," Scarlet said sitting beside Diesel, who shook his head, stunned, "The process of combining Gaia and the Tree of Life, it's a permanent thing, and they had gotten to the point in the process, where they couldn't turn back, and Gaia knew this, and so she asked one of the closet person to her heart, to kill her, so that the world could live on. After he killed her, he tried to kill the Guardian who betrayed us all, but the one who betrayed us got away, and Gaia's lover killed himself, in a fit of despair."

Diesel shook his head and said, "That's horrible, horrible, Scarlet. And the one who betrayed Gaia, is out there, and looking for Heidi, they want to hurt again, I don't want Heidi to be harmed, I'll make sure nothing harms her. I'll make sure of it, Scarlet, even if it kills me."

Diesel got up, walked past Scarlet and petting Heidi's head, as she worked on her math. When Diesel was gone, Scarlet sighed and said, "That's what I'm concerned about, you dying again, you thick headed bastard."

"The Tree talks to him, Auntie Scarlet," Heidi said softly, looking up from her school work, "I don't understand it, but I think the tree knows him very well."

"Yes, the Tree knows him very well," Scarlet said with a smile, placing a hand on Heidi's shoulder, "Hurry up, Ranger will be here in an hour, and I have an extra special lesson for you."

"What kind of lesson?" Heidi asked, looking up at Scarlet who smiled fondly at the girl.

"Well, I have a feeling you want to make someone close to you a Guardian, I'm going to tell you a secret way to make it possible to turn them into a Guardian," Scarlet said earning a giggle from Heidi, "I'm your head Guardian, I'll help you out in any way!"

TBC…


	13. I Dream Of A Guardian

Chapter 13, enjoy!

not mine, I know, lord knows if it was mine, Stephanie and Ranger would be together, and there'd be more Diesel ~drool~

I Dream Of A Guardian

Stephanie sat up in the bed, her eyes wide, her chest heaving and her hands had a death grip on the blankets that were spread over her. She turned to Ranger's side of the bed, but found him gone. what time was it? Stephanie ran a hand through her wild curls and slid out of the bed. she walked into the bathroom, used the toilet and brushed her teeth. As she did, her thoughts lingered back to the dream she had. She had been having this dream for the last three days. She would be in this wooden hallway, which was dimly lit by small candles that was situated on the walls. At the end of the hallway had been an archway that was brightly lit.

Stephanie would walk down the hallway, go through the archway and come out into a massive circular room. The only item in the room was a huge water fountain, which was in the middle of the room. There were candles all over the room to light the area. It smelt of something earthy and fresh, making Stephanie relax. She wasn;t scared in the first place, but this place, it made her spidey senses flicker slightly.

She had sat down at the fountain, when she noticed something out the corner of her eye. Stephanie turned and yelped in shock, as the blurry figure of a woman stood on the other side of the fountain. It looked like a woman, the figure was so blurry, it could have been an effeminate man for all Stephanie could know. They were wearing something white, and they had long black hair, that was all Stephanie could see. The blurry figure tried to walk over to Stephanie, but found that they couldn't move. Stephaie could tell they were getting frustrated, by the way they stomped their foot and crossed their arms. It would have been hilarious, if It wasn't so freaky. As soon as thr figure found out that they couldn't speak to Stephanie, they had disappeared in a soft cloud of smoke. When they had left, so had the dream world, leaving Stephanie in a world of white. She had woken up the moment the world of white had appeared, but nonetheless, that was a freaky ass dream!

The second dream she had, she was in the same hallway, leading to the same room. She sat down in front of the fountain, and waited for the figure to appear. She was not disappointed. The figure did appear, and this time they were clearer now, and Stephanie could make out that it was a woman. She was wearing a white dress, and she did indeed have long hair. The woman had looked down at herself, smiled and tried to take a step. The moment she tried to walk, the room began to blur, and disappear along with the woman, who frowned and shook her, leaving Stephanie in the world of white again.

The most recent dream was like the last one, but when the woman popped up and began to move, the world didn't blurred and she didn't disappear. The woman smiled, doing a victory dance, befoe she pranced over to Stephanie, and opened her mouth to speak. When she tried to speak, she found that nothing came out of her mouth. she looked up to Stephanie, who was looking at with a face and mouthed, 'Can you hear me?" motioning to her ears.

When Stephanie shook her head no, she couldn't hear the woman. The woman pouted and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, the leaving with her and leaving Stephanie in a world of white again.

"Those were some strange dreams," Stephanie said, walking out the bathroom, and grabbing some clothes, "Maybe I should talk to someone about them."

Stephanie slipped on a pair of shorts, and a pink tank top, and made her way out into the living room, where Scarlet sat, sipping tea and reading a newspaper. Stephanie sat across from the woman, poured herself a cup of coffee from the service set that Ella had left and asked, "Where's Heidi, she's usually up by now, though lately she's been sleeping in."

"Oh, has she?" Scarlet asked, looking up from her paper, "Has she given you a reason why, she must be staying up all night doing her school work."

Stephanie shook her head, with a smile, "No, she finishes that all before you leave,y ou know that Scarlet, I don't know why she's sleeping in, her bedtime is at 8, and when we go in her room to check on her, she is fast asleep. When she comes in for breakfast, she looks like she hasn't had a wink of sleep."

Scarlet gave Stephanie a look, before she looked back at her paper. "Well, I'll be damned," She whispered to herself, "I thought she would have waited."

"Good morning," A tired voice said, making the two women look up from their breakfast, "Did you both sleep well."

"Holy shit!" Stephanie yelped, looking at the person in front of them, "Heidi! You looked like you were 10 yesterday! Now you look 15!"

Scarlet nodded her head and said, "Indeed, your accelerated growth, seemed to have a growth spurt in the night."

Heidi looked down at herself and said in a soft voice, "It did!" her hands flying to her chest, "I have boobies now!"

Heidi smiled and squeezed her breast, saying, "They're as big as yours Mommy!" making Stephanie groan and cover her face.

Scarlet looked over to Stephanie and said, with a leer, "No, Heidi, your breast are much larger, we should go out and get you bras."

Stephanie gave Scarlet a glare and said, "Don't encourage her! You skank!" earning a giggle from Scarlet and Heidi.

"I'm so hungry!" Heidi said, grabbing a box of cereal and pouring herself a bowl, "What are we doing today Scarlet? Chemistry? Shakespearian lit? Gothic history?"

"There's not much I can teach you now, little one," Scarlet said, looking over to Heidi, who deflated, "you've learned everything humanly possible, I do suggest that we go to park today, and read some Walk Whitman, he is a character I know you'll like reading."

Heidi smiled and said, "That sounds like fun! Can you come too, Mommy, why are you still bounty hunting, Daddy told you that you can stop all together, and join Rangeman."

"I like Bounty hunting, besides, if I join Rangeman, that means I have to work out and give up all my sweets." Stephanie said with a wink to Heidi, who giggled, "And you know how much I love my sweets."

"Oh yes, we all know," Scarlet said with a smile, getting up from her seat, "hurry up and finish your breakfast, Heidi, and get dress, I'll go to my place and see if I can find a bra for you to wear."

Scarlet left the penthouse, leaving Heidi and Stephanie alone. Stephanie looked up at Heidi and said, "You grew five years overnight, what happened last night?"

"I don't know, Mommy," Heidi said with a shrug, going back to eat her cereal, "Maybe a freak accident."

Stephanie hummed and said, "Must be," but it didn't stop the odd feeling coursing over her body. As if Heidi wasn't telling her something

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi's growth wasn't a freak accident. Heidi knew why she grew five years in the span of 9 hours. She made herself grow five years. She wanted her body to be more mature, so she could handle what she was trying to do.

Scarlet had told her, three days ago about some kind of power, a power that she alone had. She could remember it so well, it felt as though Scarlet had told her about two minutes ago:

_"I must confess, I thought I'd never be teaching you this type of power, you were the one who taught me this long ago, Gaia," Scarlet said, looking at nine year old girl, who kicked her legs, tilting her head to side, "I know what you want to do, Heidi, and I nearly forgotten this, but now, I remember."_

_"What are we going to learn, Auntie Scarlet?" Heidi asked, the woman, a smile on her face, "It must be something important, it has you in a tizzy!"_

_Scarlet smiled and said, sitting beside the girl, "Dreams, I'm going to teach you how to manipulate people's dreams, so you can appear in them."_

_"I can do that?" Heidi asked, her eyes wide with wonder, "But, how?"_

_"I shall show you, it requires much power from you, which is why I would recommend you practice by changing the dreams you have when you sleep. All you need to do, Heidi, is before you sleep, clear your head of all thoughts, and the *Morpheus should appear to you, and lead you to the bridge that will lead you to other people's dreams."_

_"Why are you telling me this, Scarlet?" Heidi asked, the woman who smiled and ran a hand over Heidi's head._

_"Because, dreams are just another entrance to the soul, and that's where you want to go," Scarlet said cryptically, before she got up and said, "Now, let's read some American Lit."_

Heidi looked up to Stephanie and smiled, watching the woman eat. It had taken her a few tries, in the small naps she took, but she had managed to find her mommy's dreams. The first night took a lot out of her. She had pictured a room, lit with candles and a huge water fountain in it. The place had her wondering why she knew about it. she was sure she'd never been to a room with a water fountain in it. When she saw her mommy sit down, she appeared, but, the world seemed blurry and fuzzy to her, and when she looked down a her hands, she saw that it was she who was the blurry one, and not the world, or Stephanie.

The morning after, she had been so tired, who knew that manipulating dreams could take so much out a person. She had gotten into the habit of taking naps during the day, If only to regain some energy that she lost while manipulating dreams. Ella must have told her daddy, because the other night he had scooped her up in his arms and asked if she was alright. Heidi's heart had clenched at the pure worry in his eyes but she assured him that she was fine, and that she was just fatigued from all of the things she and Scarlet did together. Her daddy had told her that if there was anything else going on, to tell him. The knowing look in his eyes had Heidi cringing on the inside. Her Daddy was too observant sometimes!

The second time around, she came in blurry free, but it was the world around them that was blurry. She took one step, and the world faded around her. it was frustrating to say the least. What was she doing wrong" she really wanted to get to her mommy and make her a Guardian. But how?

The answer came to her, while she was taking a nap. Morpheus, in the shape of Her daddy, had told her lightly, that maybe she should age her body, to make it easier to handle the power to manipulate dreams.

"It should not be a chore for you to age your body to a point where you can easily handle these transitions into different dreams," Morpheus said, looking at Heidi with a smile on his face, "You are a powerful deity, after all."

Morpheus did have a point, and so, after she had gone to bed, she had willed her body to grow, she had to, as she dreamt, she made her body grow. The last attempt was almost successful. She was clear, the room was clear, she could and could make her way over to her mommy. The moment she opened her mouth to speak, she found that she couldn't. she was so angry, she almost had it down pact too! Hopefully tonight, tonight, she would have gotten it all right.

Heidi was cut short from her musing, as Scarlet appeared with several different colored bras. She smiled to the two and said, "I didn't know which one to pick, so I bought them all with me!"

"Oh! I like the purple one!" Heidi said grabbing the frilly purple bra, "It's so cute! Wait….how do I put one of these on"

"Oh, well, let's go teach you how to wear a bra!" Scarlet said, lifting Heidi up and leading her to her bedroom, "And then we can go to the park!"

Stephanie rolled her eyes and said, "I'm going to pick up some files, I'll uh-I'll be back…"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie was back in the hallway, in front of the archway that led to the large room with the water fountain in it. Stephanie walked through the archway, expecting no one to be there yet. She was surprised to see The woman sitting at the fountain, a slim hand playing in the water. Stephanie paused for a moment, and then walked up to the woman, who stopped playing in the water to look up at Stephanie. Stephanie gasped as deep amber eyes locked gazes with her blue eyes.

"Heidi?" Stephanie asked, looking at the woman who nodded her head, "How did you?-"

"I traveled here via your dreams, Mommy!" Heidi said getting up and hugging the woman, "I don't know why I look like this, who knows, Morpheus says it's something to do with the tree, but who cares! I can speak! Finally!"

Heidi sat Stephanie down beside her on the fountain and said in a soft voice, "There is a reason why I came here Mommy, I want you to become my Guardian, you're my mommy, and I want you with me…"

Stephanie smiled and said, "I can't, Scarlet said the process would kill me, the only reason why Ranger's a Guardian is because he was dead when it happened to him."

"I know that, but I found a way to give you the mark without killing you!" Heidi said bouncing on her perch, "Scarlet told me to use dreams to do it, and Morpheus told me to age physically to handle the power."

"Morpheus…dreams, well, I am dreaming, so it makes sense," Stephanie said watching Heidi's face light up, "Tell you what, go on and 'give' me the Guardian mark, if it'll make you feel better."

"I know you don't believe me now, Mommy, but when you wake up, you'll be my Guardian." Heidi said with a serious voice, grabbing Stephanie's wrist, "Now, hold on to your horses, it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Stephanie watched Heidi close her eyes, gripping her wrist in both slim hands. The sat in silence for a moment, before Stephanie looked down at the fountain and watched, transfixed as the water began to ripple along the surface. The water bowed and bent, before it shot up in the air and wrapped around her and Heidi who still had her eyes closed. It was an odd cocoon, Stephanie could feel water mist on her face as the water covered them both.

Stephanie watched as Heidi slowly opened her eyes, bending her head down and gripping Stephanie's wrist tighter, a bright light forming where her hands were clasped around Stephanie's wrist. Stephanie had to cover her eyes as the blinding light covered her, Heidi and the Cocoon of water. She felt Heidi lean up close to her, press her lips to her ear and whisper, "Time to wake up, Mommy."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie sat up in the bed, her eyes wide, her chest heaving and her hands had a death grip on the blankets that were spread over her. She turned to Ranger's side of the bed, but found him gone. what time was it? Stephanie ran a hand through her wild curls and slid out of the bed. She walked into the bathroom, used the toilet and brushed her teeth. As she did, her thoughts lingered back to the dream she had. Had that grown woman really had been Heidi? Would that be Heidi when she finally reached adulthood? Stephanie thought about the water cocoon, about the blinding light. That had been one crazy dream!

"One crazy drea-" Stephanie started, her hands running through her hair. Stephanie pulled her wrist down, and saw with horror, or amazement, that she indeed had the mark of the Guardian on her wrist. Heidi had not been lying. She had marked Stephanie in her dreams, and in turned, marked her in real life. How in the hell had Heidi achieve that?

Stephanie quickly ran out the bathroom, out into the living, past a stunned Scarlet and Ella, and into Heidi's bedroom, where the girl lay in bed, sleeping contently. Stephanie shook Heidi awake, earning a long groan from the girl asking, "Heidi, how'd you do it?! how did you mark me as a Guardian?"

Heidi cracked one eye open, and turned to Stephanie, who stood, hands on her hips, looking down at Heidi , who turned her one eye onto Stephanie's wrist. Heidi squealed and got up from the bed exclaiming, "It worked! I marked you!"

Stephanie let out an "Omph!" sound as Heidi hugged her. She wrapped her arms around the girl and looked down into her bright amber eyes, "But how, sweetheart? How did you?"

"There are other ways to see into your soul, you know, and Dreams happen to be one of them, what I did in your dreams, it happened in real life, now you can me with me forever!"

Stephanie hugged Heidi to her, looking up to see Scarlet watching the two. She had a smile on her face, and was holding a tattered book in one hand.

"I'll say, you are growing into yourself every day, Heidi, I'm glad to see it happen," Scarlet said, walking up to the two, "Now, Stephanie, we should have a serious discussion about Guardianship, it's a serious position, and I know you're not prepared for it, Jeanne will be training you from now on for 4 hours a day 6 days a week, let's go eat some breakfast!"

"What?" Stephanie whimpered, following Heidi and Scarlet out into the kitchen, " Training,6 days a week?!"

TBC….

Would be so kind as to leave a poor humble girl a review please, I love your feedback, Thank you! :D

*Morpheus is the god of Dreams, Greek Mythology and all, wicked awesome junk!


	14. Summer Of Love (Pt 1)

Chapter 14! enjoy!

next few chapters are Stephanie, Ranger and Heidi centric!

not mine, I know, I know, okay, Jeez, break my balls why don't cha?!

Summer Of Love (Pt.1)

Ranger rose an eyebrow, looking at Heidi, who lay on the couch in his office on the fifth floor. She had covered her face with a copy of War and Peace, and was now making noises of irritation. Ranger shook his head and went back to looking over his paper work. He was still not used to the idea of Heidi being a teenager. It had been quite a shock, when Heidi had come downstairs to the fifth floor, the other day, five years older and full of hormones. It had been quite awkward when Heidi had jumped in his arms, squealing, "Daddy, I have boobies!" it wouldn't have been so awkward, if it wasn't for the fact that Heidi had done so, in front of all his men.

Ranger looked up from his paperwork, hearing a low, "I'm sooooo bored," from Heidi, who lifted the tome from her face, "Daddy, let's do something."

Ranger let out a soft sigh, and looked up to Heidi, who blinked at him, and turned to sit up on the couch. Ranger wondered if Julie acted like this, like a…teenager? "What do you want to do, Quedria?"

"Well, I was thinking, me, you and mommy could maybe go to the beach for a bit?" Heidi said, giving Ranger a puppy eyed look, "It would be very nice if we could go and spend time at a beach, you know, as a family."

Ranger groaned, turning his face away from those puppy eyes. Damn it, she and Stephanie knew how to strum at his heartstrings. He had clients to deal with, contracts and the dreaded payroll, he couldn't drop all of it off on his men, and then go away for a while. No matter how much Heidi would plead and beg.

"No, I can't drop everything and go off to the beach, Heidi, I run a big company and it needs me." Ranger said, earning a groan from Heidi, who huffed and turned her head away, arms crossed, pouting. Why did she have to pout? "Heidi you have to understand…"

"I understand Daddy, work comes before play, I know, Scarlet made sure I did all my school work before we had fun." Heidi said getting up and walking over to the office door, "I'll just go and do nothing, again, since everyone else is so busy, Uncle Lester is working, Auntie Jeanne is training Stephanie and Auntie Scarlet Is gone with Diesel….doing goodness knows what…later Daddy…."

Ranger watched as Heidi trudged out the office, her head hanging down. If he didn't know any better, Ranger would believe that Heidi was manipulating him. She seemed to be manipulating him, but she was too sweet to do that, after all, he was her father, and teenage daughters didn't manipulate their fathers! Something inside of Ranger told him that he was a big ass fool, if he thought that Heidi wouldn't try to manipulate him.

He was going to have to agree with that voice….

(~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi really wanted to go to the beach. She really wanted to go out into warm air, feel the sand between her toes, play in the warm surf, and taste the salt from the ocean on her tongue. Ever since she read Robinson Crusoe, she wanted to spend as much time as possibly at the beach, sans the daily struggle to survive, that was what Hot Pockets were made for. She wanted all of this, with her Mother and Father, of course, a family vacation, of some sorts. It wouldn't be hard to persuade Stephanie, with all the training torture that Jeanne had her doing, she would jump at the idea of being away from the woman. It was her father that would need the persuasion the most. Maybe if she could get him away from that desk, it could happen!

Heidi let out a huff, sitting down in the living room on the seventh floor penthouse. She had tried to make him feel guilty about working all the time, but he had been strong, telling her that he couldn't get up and go on a vacation. Damn it! she thought she would have gotten him with the puppy dog eyes, it always works on her mother and aunts! Heidi paused in her musing to think about why her puppy dog eyes didn't work on her Daddy. She wasn't a child any more, she was a teenager! At this age, she wasn't adorable anymore, she was pretty, a young lady, or the makings of sex on legs, as her Uncle Lester would tell her. damn it all, she wanted to be a child again, that way, she could get whatever she wanted from her daddy. She wasn't growing at an accelerated rate at the moment, she had seen to that. Once she found out that she could make herself grow, she found that she could make herself stop growing as well. She found out, however, that she couldn't make herself younger. Oh well, if making herself younger to manipulate people was all that she wanted, then she really shouldn't make herself younger.

Heidi picked up her latest read, "Paradise Lost," and began to lose herself in the pages. She was so engrossed in the book, that when a heavy body sat down beside her, she yelped in surprise and looked up at Scarlet's laughing face. Heidi put her book away and said, with a frown, "It's not nice to walk up to people, sit down close to them and scare them half to death!"

"I'm sorry," Scarlet said, grabbing Heidi's book, "Paradise lost, eh? 17th century poetry and religion, what's so interesting about this novel?"

"Religion is a very interesting topic, that's all, I've read Hindu books, Buddhism books, all kinds of books." Heidi said sitting up and looking at Scarlet, "So, do you believe in a higher power?"

Scarlet shrugged her shoulders and said, "I used to, a long time ago, I believed this high power gave me the gift of intellect to change the world."

Heidi leaned forward, as Scarlet's eyes darkened, and she said, "But then I saw what people did, all in the name of religion, wars, rapes, deaths, everything, and now you have people on the TV using Religion as a crutch to further their own greed, instead of helping out others. It made me wonder, if Religion truly was cracked up to be. I thought religion was based off of peaceful worshipping of a deity, it used to be, but then humans…twisted it, there are people out there, claiming to love each other, but the moment you're different, you're hated and even accosted for it. Heidi, you'll find out, in your lifetime, things are what they truly are, and I hope you're prepared for it."

Heidi sat back in her seat and said in a soft voice, "I don't ever want to deal with anything that's religious, if it's that bad, I don't want to be a part of it."

"You really have no choice, my love," Scarlet said softly, running a hand through Heidi's hair, "You are one of the deities that many people worship."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"It sure would be great, if we could go to the beach for a few days…."

Stephanie looked over the dining table at Heidi, who was stabbing at her slice of pork loin, her head tucked in one hand. Stephanie made a noise in the back of her throat and said, "I think that sounds great too, Heidi, it would be nice if we spent time together as a somewhat functional family."

"not you too, Babe," Ranger said, giving the two women in his life a look, "I can't just drop everything to go parade around on a beach."

"I know that Daddy, I'm sure Mommy understands too," Heidi sighed, giving Ranger a puppy eye look, "I mean, you are a successful business man, after all."

"I understand…." Stephanie said with a sigh, looking over to Ranger, giving him her best puppy eye look, "You are a successful man, who has no time for his daughter and girlfriend."

"Heidi, Stephanie-" Ranger started, but Stephanie cut him off saying, "No, no! it doesn't matter, we understand, come on Heidi, let's clean up, and go watch some TV, if we can't go to the beach, we can pretend to be there, at least."

Ranger felt his eyebrow twitch as Heidi and Stephanie got up from the table, take his plate, which he hadn't finished eating, by the way, and clean up. Moments later he could hear the HGTV channel flare to life, and then a bright female voice say, "Beach Vacation Homes!"

"They'll never stop if I don't take them to the beach," Ranger groaned, pressing a finger to his eyebrow, "I'll just have to work from a laptop then, I guess, or shuffle some of the work onto Santos…."

Now that was an awesome idea…

(~~~~~~~~~~~)

"This is a beach house?" Stephanie yelped, looking through the Cayenne's front window, "Rnager, this is a freaking beach mansion."

Stephanie turned to Ranger, who gave her a look, "Are you sure you're not a billionaire? I think you are…."

"Babe, I bought this property years ago, I just finished renovating it." Ranger said, pulling the Cayenne into the parking space, "What do you think, Quedria?"

"It's beautiful Daddy!" Heidi said with glee, "I get the room with the ocean view!"

"I assure you, Heidi," Ranger said as they clambered out the Cayenne, "The rooms all have ocean views."

The beach house was at the end of a street lined with massive beach houses. It was a cream colored three story home that blended in with the beach surrounding. The beach house had several decks, all with ocean views and some of the decks were screened in. Windows dominated just about every inch of the house, letting in sunlight and showing off the views of the ocean. The beach house was the biggest one on the street, and one of prettiest one.

Ranger had given in and told Heidi and Stephanie to pack a bag, because they were going to the beach. He whisked them off to Florida, to the Keys, to a small town situated on one of the smaller and less populated keys. He had told him that he would take them to the beach, if they promised not to ask for anything for at least a whole month. Both Heidi and Stephanie agreed quickly, before they had scurried off to pack their bags. It would be just the trio, Ranger, Stephanie and Heidi, a family vacation. Heidi was happy because they were going to be able to swim in the ocean, Ranger was happy because his girls were happy, and Stephanie was happy because that meant no training with Jeanne for a while. Ranger had burst that bubble by telling her that Jeanne asked that she work out with Ranger in the mornings. Well, at least it wasn't Jeanne she had to see! Plus, Ranger was much sexier to look at too.

Ranger opened the front door to the beach house, and had to get out the way, because Heidi ran past him, squealing with excitement. Heidi turned to Ranger, smiled, and said, "It's so lovely in here!"

The theme of the house was a beach one. The walls were a sandy color, with a sea shell border that went along the bottom of the walls. Pictures of framed silver dollars and starfishes hung up on the wall next to drawings of beaches and light houses. The house had an open floor plan, with the living room, family room, dining room and kitchen open to each other. The furniture was a dark brown, a sharp contrast to the sandy walls and the floors were a shiny dark brown lacquer. They were given a million dollar view of the beach and the ocean. The kitchen was high tech and sandy colored with sand colored quartz counters, white cabinets and sand colored tiles. There was a sand colored breakfast bar with dark brown stools. They would enjoy their time here at the beach 'mansion.'

Stephanie sat down in a plush leather loveseat and said, "Oh yes, I could get use to this, this place is wonderful Ranger!"

"Thanks Babe, I hope you enjoy all that it has to offer, there's a hot tub, a sauna, lots of sporting equipment to use in the water, you won't be bored here." Ranger said sitting beside Stephanie on the loveseat, and wrapping an arm around her, pulling her close, "And the town is only five minutes down the road, there's shopping, parks, everything.

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah," Heidi said picking up her tote bag, "I'm going to find my bedroom!" running up the stairs.

"There's two master bedrooms, each on different ends of the house, we won't be disturbing Heidi, if we do things, Babe," Ranger purred, his eyes darkening with lust, "Babe, I say we find our bedroom too."

"That sounds like a good idea," Stephanie purred, kissing Ranger's lips, "There's a bed calling our name."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

The moment Heidi opened the set of double doors, she knew that she had chosen the right bedroom. It was a soft blue colored bedroom, with a white canopy bed with white sheers and white bedding. The dresser was white, as was the furniture in the little seating area of her room. The desk was painted white, with seashells stenciled on the side and on the surface of the desk. A large painting of couple on the beach dominated the wall behind the canopy bed and several framed shells decorated the rest of the room. The floors were the same dark brown lacquer and there were two sets of doors. One door led to a huge walk in closet, the other into a huge white colored bathroom with a whirlpool tube, a shower that could fit five people easily and a massive vanity on one of the walls.

Heidi tossed her tote bag on the bed, and made her way over to the doors that led to the balcony of her bedroom. She opened the French white doors, walked out onto the wooden deck, and sighed, inhaling the salty sea air, this was the life! Heidi walked over to the wooden railing, and looked out into the bright blue sea. The way the setting sun fell, it made it look like a scene from a postcard. Heidi would never get bored of this sunset.

Heidi leaned forward on the railing and looked over the edge of her balcony. She was maybe half of a story from the ground and she also could see that she was somewhat close to the large pool that resided in the back area of the beach house. Heidi made a mental note to change into her bathing suit when she got a chance.

Heidi turned to walk back into her bedroom, but the soft strums from guitar strings stopped her. Heidi paused and turned back to the end of her balcony. It was very soft, she could hardly hear it, but someone was playing a guitar. Heidi walked back over to the edge of the balcony and looked around. She couldn't see anyone, so then….where was that music coming from?

Heidi peered over the edge of the railing once more, before she walked back into the house.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

It was later that night, well past midnight, when Heidi heard the guitar again. She was up late, reading in her bed, the balcony doors open, letting in warm breeze. She went up to bed early with the intent to go to sleep, so she could enjoy an early morning swim. She had bought several books with her, and one thing led to another, and the next thing she knew, she was reading a heavy tome, all thoughts of sleep flying out the window.

Heidi looked up from the book Robin Hood, and frowned, as the sounds of someone playing the guitar filled her room. It was so clear, it was as though someone was in her room playing it, just for her. it wasn't just a guitar playing, someone was singing now, a man by the sounds of it, his voice was husky, and smooth, like fine liquor. Heidi blinked and slid out the bed, going back out onto the balcony. She couldn't see anyone in the moonlight. She walked back over to the edge and looked down and around. There was no one here, so, who was playing the guitar and singing?

Heidi walked back into her bedroom, closed the balcony door and climbed into bed to go to sleep, she would asked her parents if they heard the music.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie frowned, sitting up and looking at Heidi, who loomed over her, her hands on her hips. She turned to Ranger who sat in a beach chair looking just as confused as she did. They were all out on the beach, enjoying the warm weather and the pleasantly cool waters. Heidi had just come back from taking a dip in the waters, when she had asked Ranger and Stephanie about the music she heard last night.

"I heard a man playing a guitar and singing, he had such a wonderful voice, and he could play the guitar well." Heidi said sitting beside Stephanie on the beach blanket, "Tell me you heard it, it was so loud, it felt as though it was in my bedroom."

"Quedria, we didn't hear any music last night," Ranger said, watching Heidi drink a bottle of water, "I think you must have been dreaming."

"I wasn't dreaming, I heard it, I really did," Heidi said standing up with a huff, "I guess I was the only one to hear then."

Heidi huffed again, and then ran on the beach to go back in the water. Stephanie shook her head and said, "It must have been a dream …."

Last night after they family had dinner, Ranger and Stephanie had gone up to bed, to break in the shower and the tub, and the dresser. They had been tuckered out after the last round, and had fallen asleep quickly.

"Babe, I need to talk to you," Ranger said, getting out the beach chair, "let's take a walk."

Stephanie smiled, and grabbed the hand that was offered to her. Ranger pulled her up, kissed her softly on the lips and led her away from their resting spot on the beach. They took a quick glance at Heidi who was swimming in the ocean and then walked a little ways down.

"Stephanie, I love you, and I just want you to know that I'm glad you're in Heidi's life," Ranger started, looking at Stephanie who smiled softly, and leaned her head on his arm as they walked, "I feel as though something is missing from this picture."

"There's nothing missing in this picture," Stephanie said looking up at Ranger, a smile on her face, "I have you, and Heidi, and my close friends and family, there's absolutely nothing missing from the picture."

"I think there is," Ranger said with a smile, pulling away from Stephanie turning away from her.

"Ranger, you know there's-" Stephanie started, but paused as Ranger turned back to her, holding a black velvet box, "Oh my goodness…."

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Ranger asked pulling the top of the velvet box open to reveal a three carat princess cut diamond ring set on a small platinum band.

Stephanie looked up with wide eyes at Ranger, before she nodded her head and exclaimed, "Hell yes, I'll marry you!"

They hugged and kissed each other, before Ranger slipped the ring on Stephanie's finger. Stephanie admired the ring on her finger and said, "Ranger, I love you, I can't wait to be Mrs. Stephanie Manoso."

Stephanie and Ranger turned as a four wheeler slowly rolled up to them. A man in a pair of khaki shorts and a white tank top slid off the four wheeler and walked over to Ranger and Stephanie.

"Hello folks, I'm from the Town's park and Recreation, I'm just going up and down the beach telling people to stay out of the water, there are rip currents out there and everyone should stay out the water." The man said with a smile, looking over to Ranger and Stephanie, "I see you two aren't in the waters."

Stephanie hasped looking over to Ranger, "Heidi was, when we were gone!"

The man perked up and said in a serious voice, "Where did you two come from, we have to get her out of the water, rip currents could drag her out to sea and that could be a problem."

"We're a half mile away from our beach house," Ranger said, as the man got on the four wheeler.

"I'll go ahead, and call for back up," The man said before he rode off down the beach.

Stephanie turned to Ranger and said, "Maybe she got out of the water, maybe."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi let out a squeal as a wave crashed over her frame. The waves were getting a bit rough, maybe she would get out the water. Heidi looked up over the waves and groaned, she couldn't see the shore, how far had she gone out?! Heidi turned and began to swim back, following the direction of the waves. Waves always seemed to aim for the shore. She should be back there in no time. The waters were getting rougher and choppier, and Heidi was having a hard time keeping her head above them. Heidi gasped as she was swept under the water. She broke the surface and only had time to gain a short breath, before she was swept under again. This time, she couldn't break the surface. Heidi tired to swim up, but the currents they were so strong, and she was getting so tired, maybe, maybe if she stop struggling, it wouldn't be so hard to float back up to the top, though breathing was becoming an issue as of right now.

Heidi felt her lungs burning, screaming for air, the instinct to open her mouth to take a breath was so strong, that she did and she inhaled a mouth full of water. The edges of her vision was darkening, and she went limp in the strong currents. Just as she lost conscious, Heidi felt strong arms wrap around her waist and was pressed to a strong chest.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ranger and Stephanie felt their hearts nearly stop at the sight of Heidi laying prone near the shore, the man over her, helping her sit up. Ranger and Stephanie ran over to Heidi and hugged her tightly, running their hands over her face and hair.

"Quedria, are you okay?" Ranger asked, looking down at Heidi, who nodded her head, leaning into his arms, "What happened?"

"I was in the water, I was so far out, I couldn't see the shore, and I tried to swim back, but found that I couldn't!" Heidi said, shaking, "I was drowning, I think, and I passed out, under the water…..someone saved me, but I don't know who."

"I'm just glad you're alright," Stephanie said, as Ranger lifted Heidi up in his arms, "Come on, let's get you to your bed, no more beach today."

"Okay," Heidi said, fatigue settling in, "Thank you, whoever saved me."

Stephanie helped Heidi out her bathing suit, and into her a pair of terry shorts and a tank top. When she was alone in her room, Heidi sat up in her bed and sighed, thinking about the person who saved her. She had woken up on the beach, to see a person looming over her. it had been a man, a man had saved her, and he had the most amazing sea green eyes, they seemed to have swirls of blue in them. She had reached up to touch him, but the man had left quickly after she had woken up.

Heidi smiled and settled back down in the bed, she hoped her savior heard her gratitude, she really did. As she fell asleep, she swore she could hear the sounds of someone playing the guitar, lulling her to sleep

TBC…

Thank you for the reviews! I love them, if you could be so kind as to review again, a girl would love that! And yes, by the end of the summer, Stephanie and Ranger will get married! SQUEEEE!


	15. Summer of love (pt 2)

Chapter 15, enjoy!

Not mine, I know, I know...

Thank you for the reviews, someone asked me about the wedding, well, your answer is in the story!

Summer Of Love(pt 2)

_The Odyssey of Heidi_

Stephanie looked up to Heidi, watching the girl sit down at the kitchen table, grab the bowl of cereal and pour herself a bowl. Ranger gave Stephanie a look and said, "We have to tell her, we can't leave her in the dark for long."

"Leave me in the dark about what?" Heidi asked, looking up from her cereal, "Mommy, Daddy, what are you two talking about?"

Ranger grabbed Stephanie's hand and turned to Heidi. Stephanie smiled and said, "Well, Heidi, Ranger and I are getting married."

Heidi blinked, and said, "I thought you guys were already married?" Tilting her head to the side, "You seemed to be married, huh…I didn't know that," Heidi bent down and went back to eating her meal.

Ranger blinked his eyes and said, "Oh, I see, she thought were already married, was it something we did?"

"I mean, you two move together like a well-oiled machine, you know each others' moves, it's as if you two have esp!" Heidi said finishing her cereal, and getting up, "I'm just glad you two are getting married, so, when's the wedding?"

"We're working on it," Stephanie said with a smile, as Heidi washed her bowl, "So, Missy, feeling a lot better after that incident at the beach?"

"I am," Heidi chirped sitting back down at the table, "it also helps that my mystery guitar player serenaded me to sleep. He plays so wonderfully."

"How do you know it's a man…" Stephanie started, but watched as white leaves rained down through the walls, and fall through the floor of the kitchen, "I don't think I'll ever get use to that happening."

"Yes you will, Babe," Ranger said, leaning forward and kissing Stephanie's cheek, "I assure you, it's all a part of being a Guardian."

"Mew!" Ranger looked up and over to Heidi, who was looking around nervously, tapping her fingers on the table top, "Heidi, Quedria, did you bring the kitten?"

"No!" Heidi said, too quickly for Ranger's liking, "Why would I bring Mew with us to the beach, especially when you told me that I couldn't."

"Mew!" Ranger looked under the table to feel tiny teeth attack his bare feet. Ranger rose an eyebrow picked up the scraggly grey kitten and looked over to Heidi, who flushed and looked away. Stephanie giggled and said, "Looks like we have a stowaway, Heidi…"

"Well, I didn't want to bring him, but he gave me these big eyes, and so, I stowed him in my tote bag," Heidi said with a smile, "He didn't poop or anything, and I feed him all the fish off my plate, which was why when were were coming down, I asked for lots of fish, so Mew could eat it."

Ranger looked down at the tiny kitten in his hands and said, "Well, I could send you to the violin string factory, they're always looking for cat guts."

Mew seemed to pale at this idea, but Ranger chuckled and said, "I'm kidding, now we have to head into town, I saw a pet shop there, you need your kitty box, a bed and your food bowl, no more eating fish."

Mew seemed happy with what Ranger told him, because he reached up and licked the man's face with his rough tongue. Ranger groaned and said, "I already have problems with my badass image, not you too."

Stephanie smiled at Ranger and said, "We should get dressed and get ready to go, we could spend all day in town, if we want."

"That sounds like a lovely idea, I saw a used bookstore in town," Heidi said smiling, "I wonder if they have _Yeats_, I've been looking for that book."

"Ugh…" Stephanie said covering her eyes, "I have a nerd for a daughter, why?"

"Babe, she's not a nerd, she's just smart." Ranger laughed, as they got up from the table, "Let's go get dressed."

"Mew's coming with us!" Heidi yelped, before she ran up the stairs, ignoring the protest from Ranger.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Oh, what a nice store!" Stephanie said looking over to the small clothing store, "They have such cute dresses, Heidi, we should go over there, and look at a few dresses."

"Oh, I hope they have purple dresses!" Heidi squealed, handing the kitten to Ranger, before she and Stephanie ran across the street to get to the dress store.

"It's just us men, I see," Ranger said looking down at the kitten in his hand, "Let's go to the pet store."

"Mew!"

The town was hardly a town at all, there was only a grocery store, post office, a small municipal building, four small retail stores, and three restaurants. The population of the town was less than 200 and most of the town people were over the age of 60. It wasn't a hot spot like many places in Key West, but that's why Ranger came to this town and bought the beach house. There were no clubs here, no hot spots, nothing but beaches and a few stores. Ranger had planned on them for staying maybe a week, but maybe, possibly, they could stay for the rest of May, all the way to the end of August, and if there was work that needed to be done at Rangerman, well, there was always Rangeman Miami.

He had a jet he could fly from Key West, to Miami in less than an hours' time.

This would be a nice vacation after all. Ranger smiled and ran his fingers over the kitten's tiny head, earning a soft purr.

"Come Along, Mew, let's go get your things."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Thy had lunch at the local seafood restaurant, enjoying what local fish the restaurant had to offer. After lunch, they packed the Cayenne with their shopping bags, and then Ranger gave Heidi some money, told her not to spend it all on books, and then let Heidi run off to the book store, the kitten tucked in her arms.

Stephanie shook her head and groaned, "She's a nerd! When I was 15, I was thinking about boys, clothes, and sex, she doesn't think about any of that."

"Babe, bit your tongue," Ranger said with a smile, "I'm glad she has her heads in the book, instead of in some boy's lap, now a days, teenagers are pressured to have se so hard, it's amazing that there are teenagers out there that wait until they're over the age of 18 before they have sex."

"You have a point," Stephanie said as she and Ranger walked hand in hand down the sidewalk, going to the public access point that led to the beach, "She has good influences around her though, Scarlet, Jeanne, you, Lester and Diesel, they're not influences I would want around."

"We can't help who she has company with, Babe," Ranger said, as Stephanie slipped her shoes off, "Babe, I was wondering, if you wouldn't mind if we stayed here all summer long."

Stephanie's face perked up and she said, "All summer?! But, what about Rangeman! you can't run from home all the time!"

"Babe, Rangeman Miami is just an hour away, if I take the jet, don't worry, if they need me, I can go there." Ranger said kissing Stephanie, "Besides, we can use this time to worry about the wedding."

"Oh….the wedding," Stephanie said slowly, looking over to Ranger, "Ranger, can it just be private thing,just me, you and Heidi, I want it to be a thing just for me and you and our child."

"Our child," Ranger said, his eyes darkening, "I like it when you say, 'our child,'" wrapping his arms around Stephanie and kissing her lips, "I also like the idea of our wedding being private, much more intimate."

"It will, once the child goes to sleep," Stephanie said with a soft giggle, as Ranger kissed her again, "Come on, let's go take a walk on the beach, before we go collect the child, I'm sure she would love to be a part of us planning our wedding."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi entered the tiny store front, inhaling the scent of used books, she loved this smell. Heidi would have to thank her aunt for her love of books. She would never get bored of reading books, too many adventures to be had, and to be found.

Heidi set Mew down, and began to wander through the aisles of book, searching for news stories to read, and for stories she that she had read before, but couldn't get enough of. Her small fingers trailed on the spines of old books, amber eyes looking at the titles. Did she want fantasy? Mystery? Or a nice Science Fiction. Heidi didn't know which one to choose, so she just wandered aimlessly, until the sounds of guitar stopped her.

Heidi paused, turning to the sounds of someone strumming the musical instrument. She had heard that tune, last night, and the night before, who was playing that tune? Heidi walked to the direction of the tune, but faltered, hearing it stop abruptly, and a male voice say, "Hey now, this is not a toy to play with little one."

Heidi heard a soft meow, and walked down the end of the aisle to find Mew sitting on the knee of a young man, who was sitting down on the carpet floor, surrounded by books and holding a guitar. He couldn't have been no more than 16 with short shaggy auburn hair that curled at the ends, dusting the nape of his neck. He had olive tones skin that was covered in a white shirt and a pair of jeans. It was his eyes though, that had Heidi. They were those sea green eyes that had the splashes of blue in them. The same eyes that loomed over her, after she woke up from being rescued from the ocean.

The young man smiled at Heidi and asked in a husky voice that held a slight accent, "Is this your kitten?"

Heidi couldn't speak, all she could do was nod her head, and watch the young man pick up the kitten and put down his guitar. He stood up and walked over to Heidi, holding the kitten out, so Heidi could take him.

"He thought my guitar was a toy," The young man said with smile, petting Mew, "I think he likes to listen to me play."

"You play wonderfully," Heidi said with a soft smile, looking at the young man in front of her, "I can see why Mew came over to you."

Heidi walked up to the young man, who smiled at her and said, "You, you were the one who saved me, yesterday at the beach."

"I couldn't have let you drowned, it would have been really rude of me to do so," The young man said with a smile, "I'm an excellent swimmer, people say that I'm part fish."

"I can see why they say that, it must have been hard to swim and carry me back to the shore." Heidi said softly, cuddling Mew to her chest.

"You were light, I had no problems at all." The young man said softly, before he stuck his hand out and said, "My name is Odysseus, it's custom for a hero to give the maiden the saved their names."

"Odysseus, my name is Heidi," Heidi said shaking the man's hand, jerking her hand back as if she shocked herself.

"What's wrong, Heidi," Odysseus asked the girl, watching her face flush.

"I don't know, it felt like…electricity went through my hands.." Heidi said, her flush getting even deeper, at the way Odysseus said her name, "I've never felt it before."

"Oh,maybe it was static," Odysseus said with a soft smile, that made Heidi's insides squirm, for some odd reason, "You know this carpet is a good conductor for electricity, you should stop shuffling your shoes on the ground."

"Okay," Heidi said with a squeak, her face flushing again, "I uh…do you work here?"

"Oh no, I don't, I was just helping the owner out, and took a break to play my guitar," Odysseus said with a smile, motioning to his guitar, "But if you do need help finding a book, might I not suggest this one…."

Odysseus turned to the stack of books on the floor and picked up a green book that had _'Yeats,'_ on the front of it, "This is a really good story, and from the looks of it, from the inside of it, it's an original first edition copy, look at the fine craftsmanship of the spine, hand woven, you don't see-"

"You were the one who was playing the guitar last night, outside my window." Heidi blurted out, her face flushing even more, "And during the afternoon."

Odysseus, paused and said, "I'm sorry, did I disturb you, I must have been on the beach, I love to play the guitar on the beach."

"No, it was wonderful, though, my parents didn't hear you, I wonder why," Heidi said looking at Odysseus who smiled at her and leaned closer to her.

"Would you like to hear more?" Odysseus asked, earning a nod, "Okay, I'll come over tonight, and play for you on the beach, I think you'll like the songs I play."

Heidi nodded her head, taking the book from Odysseus and said, "I already do," just as the door to the book store opened and Heidi heard Stephanie say, "Heidi, are you in here?"

"Yes Mommy," Heidi said turning to where Stephanie's voice came from, "I'm just talking to…"

"Mew!" Heidi turned and frowned, Odysseus was gone, when did he have time to slip away from her? Heidi smiled, feeling her stomach flutter as she thought about Odysseus .

"There you are, silly," Stephanie said coming up behind Heidi in the narrow aisle, "I see you found a book, let's go pay for it, and then get some ice cream, okay?"

"Okay!" Heidi said with a smile, looking down at Mew, who perked up at the sound of ice cream, ""Maybe they have a fishy flavored ice cream, Mew!"

"Mew!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"She's been awful quiet," Stephanie said to Ranger as they drove back to the beach house, her eyes on Heidi in the back of the Cayenne, "Is she alright?"

"I think so," Ranger said, looking back and seeing Heidi reading the book she bought, a small smile on her face, "Quedria, are you alright with us staying in Key West for the rest of the summer?"

"Oh yes!" Heidi said, looking up from her book, "I would love It! are you having the wedding down here too?"

"Well, we're going to talk about that when we get home," Stephanie said with a smile, "For now, we should plan what we're going to do, while we're here, Is there anything you really want to do this summer?"

"Nothing really much," Heidi said her smile small, as she ran her fingers down Mew's back, "I'm content with what's occurring now."

Stephanie and Ranger smiled at Heidi, as they pulled into the drive way of the beach house. Ranger turned to the Heidi and said, "Since there's nothing you want to do now, hwo about we grill something for dinner, you can be my wing woman."

"I would like that, Daddy," Heidi said sliding out the car with her buy, Mew perched on her shoulders.

"Let's get the pet supplies out, and put up Mew's bed," Heidi said petting the kitten, "I want his bed in my room, okay!"

Ranger opened the trunk to the Cayenne and said, "Yes Ma'am, and the kitty liter box?"

"In the garage, I'm sure Mew doesn't mind the trek, or else he'll be outside pooping in the sand." Heidi giggled, as Mew nuzzled her nose, "Come on, Mew, let's change into our bathing suits!"

"Sounds like a plan," Stephanie said, pinching Ranger's bottom, "We should try out the hot tub, after she goes to sleep."

"Babe, you're playing with fire," Ranger purred, before he carried the shopping bags into the beach house.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Dark Green eyes smiled watching the small family of three walk into the posh beach house. Aww how sweet, Gaia and her two newest guardians, playing house in a tropical paradise.

"It won't be such a paradise soon, if I have my way," The Queen of the night walkers murmured, from her spot, "Best to tell General Smith, hopefully the silly human won't do anything brash."

TBC….

Can you leave a girl your two cents via a review? I love your feedback and responses! thank you!


	16. Summer of love (pt 3)

Sorry I'm so late posting this new chapter, it was a hell of a work week! anyways, chapter 16, enjoy!

not mine, I know, I know, jeez!

Anyways, let's start this chapter off right, with some SMUT!

SMUT! SMUT! SMUT! did I mention, SMUT!~

The Summer of Love (Pt 3)

_A Goldfish Without Its Gills_

The moment Heidi had scurried off to bed, at around nine that evening, Stephanie was on Ranger in a heartbeat. They were outside in the gazebo with the privacy screens down, enjoying a few glasses of fine red wine. There were moments in which Ranger would taint the temple that was his body, this happened to be one of those moments. They wouldn't let Heidi have any, but she could enjoy a glass of juice. It was a bit odd that at nine, Mew came bounding over, placing his tiny paws on Heidi's leg and letting loose a string of meows that had Heidi getting up and scurrying away to go to bed. oh well, Ranger and Stephanie weren't going to dwell much on it, especially when there was much fun to be had between the two of them.

Stephanie climbed in Ranger's lap, lavishing his face with kisses, her hands reaching for the hem of his black tank top. They paused in their kissing, so Stephanie could pull of the offending clothing over Ranger's head, and Ranger could pull the strings of Stephanie's bikini top off, so her breast could fall out easily. Stephanie groaned and arched her back, as Ranger's large fingers found her erect nipples, pulling and tugging at the pink pebbles, making jolts of pleasure run through her body. Their lips met in a heated kiss again, their hands grabbing and pinching at every inch of bare skin they could find.

Stsphanie pulled back, with a coy smile, and then slid down, sliding out of Ranger's lap and ending up in between his legs, her fingers pulling at the draw strings of Ranger's swimming trunks. Ranger lifted his hips, as Stephanie pulled them down, letting his erection spring forth in the warm tropical air. Stephanie gripped the wide base of his cock, and leaned forward, her tongue snaking out and licking the tip of the sensitive head, tracing his slit, and circling around the head, dipping low to get at the large vein underneath it. Ranger let out a low hiss, his hands threading through Stephanie's hair as she licked his cock. The sight of his woman, the lewd noises, she was making as she licked at his cock, it was all too much for him, he was going to explode. Ranger nearly let out a sound, as Stephanie slid her mouth down his length, taking him all the way into her mouth. he arched his back as Stephanie bobbed her head up and down on his cock, her hands finding his sac and playing with them. Ranger placed a hand on the back of Stephanie's head, guiding her up and down his cock, his eyes clenched tight with pleasure, dios, only this woman could make him fall apart so easily!

When Ranger felt the twinges of his orgasm approach, he pulled Stephanie off his dick, with much reluctance, and said, in a husky voice, "Now it's my turn, Babe, and I plan on having you pass out by the end of this night."

Stephanie smiled and said, "That's what I really want, Batman, better keep your end of the bargain."

Ranger pulled Stephanie up on the outdoor loveseat that was inside of the private gazebo, tugging off the wrap she had over her skimpy bikini bottoms. Ranger gripped one of her thighs firmly, and began to kiss his way up to the juncture that was hidden behind the skimpy blue cloth. Stephanie let out a breathy giggle, as Ranger's nose nuzzled her covered pussy, causing jolts of pleasure to go through her frame. She shivered with delight, as he grabbed the top of the bottoms and pulled them down, to reveal her bare mound, wet with juices, her inner lips opened from excitement. Ranger leaned forward, saying, "Dios, Babe, you're so wet,is I because you had my dick in your mouth, hmm?" his fingers running through Stephanie's slick folds.

Stephanie could only let out whimpers as the pleasure rendered her speechless. Ranger smiled and said, "No words, well, I guess I'll have to change that."

Stephanie arched her back, crying out in bliss as Ranger dove in and plundered her pussy with his mouth. she felt his teeth nip at the fleshy outer lips, tug gently at the more sensitive inner lips. His fingers gliding down and toying with the rim of her entrance, it had Stephanie seeing stars. When Ranger found her clit, with that sinfully skilled tongue, Stephanie shot up in the loveseat, and let out a soft cry, gripping Ranger's head as she was eaten out. her hips bucked up into that willing tongue, and those nimble fingers that snuck into her as Ranger made magic with his tongue. Her orgasm came quick and boy, was it a big one. Stephanie arched her back, and let out a wail of pleasure, as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over her.

Stephanie slumped back in the loveseat, her breath ragged, and a flush on her face. Ranger leaned over her body and hooked her legs over his arms and entered Stephanie swiftly, earning a low groan from said woman beneath him. He kept a brutal but steady pace, his hips snapping up as he enered Stephanie. Stephanie could only groan and cry out, her hips thrusting up to meet the thrusts that Ranger gave her. Ranger leaned down and kissed Stephanie growling, "I'll never get enough of you Babe, Dios, you drive me wild, I'm going to make you my wife and never give you up!"

Stephanie wrapped her arms around Carlos's neck and said, "Don't ever give me up! Keep me forever."

They kissed each other as they came, the pleasure rolling through their bodies, leaving them weak afterwards. They in entwined on the loveseat, trying to catch their breath. Ranger sat up slightly, watching in the darkness as a figure went through the backyard of the beach house, going to the beach. What was his daughter doing?

"What's wrong, Ranger?" Stephanie asked Ranger, feeling him lean back down in the loveseat, "Did you see something."

"No, it was nothing," Ranger said with a smile, "I was just thinking about Heidi, she's full of surprises, you know."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi looked down at the kitten in her arms. She gave him a frown and said, "Geez, at least they stop making sounds, those were some of the weirdest sounds I've ever heard."

Mew made a sound and jumped out of Heidi's arms, leading her down the beach, the only light source was the thin sliver of moon in the sky. Heidi was supposed to be upstairs in the beach house, asleep, but she had to meet Odysseus on the beach! just the thought of those strange colored eyes had something inside of Heidi fluttering. Heidi had to bit her lip to prevent the giggles she had inside of her come out. She hadn't been this excited for anything in a while.

"Mew," Heidi looked up from her thoughts, seeing Odysseus sitting on a log in the middle of the beach. He had a bonfire going, and a blanket on the sand. His guitar leaned against the log, waiting for Odysseus to play it. Heidi felt a smile pull at her lips, and she ran the rest of the way oer to Odysseus, who patted the empty space on the log next to him.

"It's such a lovely night outside, I thought maybe you'd be hungry after your trek, I have some food, if you're hungry." Odysseus said, pointing to the basket on the blanket, "Nothing fancy, some fruit and pastries, and some juice."

Heidi smiled and said, "No I'm not tired, but some juice would be nice," sitting down on the log next to Odysseus, who got up and pulled out a drink for Heidi, "You're very thoughtful…."

"I hope your parents don't mind you out on the beach, at night, with a young fellow, who's going to play you some music on his guitar." Odysseus asked Heidi, who drunk her fruity drink.

"Oh, they were busy making weird noises from the gazebo, I'm sure they hardly heard me." Heidi said, making Odysseus laugh loudly, his hands holding his sides, "What?"

"Oh it's just, your parents, well, never mind, it's not my place to tell you, my innocent Heidi," Odysseus said, sitting beside Heidi, "Now, I'm sure you want to hear music, not things that will tarnish your innocence."

Heidi gave Odysseus a look as he grabbed his guitar, strumming a quick tune, "What do mean, my innocence?"

"Oh nothing, nothing my dear," Odysseus said, scooting closer to Heidi, who smiled, biting her lip, a flush on her face, "I hope you like sea shanties, they're my favorite, sadly."

Heidi didn't know this feeling, watching Odysseus play the guitar, singing tunes that sailors sang a long time ago, his voice husky, running over Heidi. She loved the way that his emotions played on his face as he sang, showing her that he loved playing the guitar and he loved singing as well. Once Odysseus finished playing his song, he turned to Heidi, and smiled, saying, "You have stars in your eyes, darling, it's like you've seen something good."

"I-you just look as though you love playing and singing, it looks so wonderful," Heidi said softly, earning a chuckle from Odysseus, "What is this weird feeling in my stomach?"

"I don't know," Odysseus said softly, a soft smile on his face, "But, to settle that feeling, I have some chocolate éclairs, I know you'll love them."

"I would really love to learn how to play that Guitar, you make wonderful music," Heidi said eating the pastry that was offered to her, "I'll sound like I'm killing a cat."

Heidi let out a startled gasp as Odysseus grabbed her by her waist and pull her against him. The funny feeling came back at full force, as did the light headness. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her and a husky voice said softly in Heidi's ears, "It's not that hard, darling, here."

Odysseus grabbed his guitar, placed Heidi's hands in the right position on the guitar and, with his hands over her small hands, led her through a simple song, all the while; Heidi's face was flush and her heart beating at 400 miles per minute. As they played together, Odysseus sang softly in her ear. Heidi smiled when they were done playing the song and said, "it's only because you helped me along, silly."

Odysseus smiled at her and said, "It'd doesn't matter, if you want me to, I'll help you play all the time."

Heidi gripped the hem of her skirt as Odysseus let go of her, the feeling of longing settling in, why was she feeling that? Heidi turned to Odysseus and asked, "So, do you live around here?"

"You could say that," Odysseus said with a smile, sliding down the log and sitting on the blanket, "But I'm in this area for the summer only, then I go back to do whatever needs to get done."

"Oh, well, so am I," Heidi said with a smile, sitting on the blanket beside Odysseus, "My parents are getting married, and they want it down here, it was supposed to be a week long thing, but it turned into a whole summer thing."

"Well congrats for your parents," Odysseus said grabbing a pastry and eating it, "I'm happy you all decided to stay for the summer, that means I get to see more of you, Heidi."

Heidi let out a breathy giggle, and said, "I'm glad too, Odysseus," settling close by the fire.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

They spent all night by the fire, talking and playing music, watching Mew chase little night crabs and eating whatever was in the basket. Odysseus was putting away all the wrappers from the food they had eaten when a tiny, "Mew," made him look up. Heidi was fast asleep, curled up on the blanket, her head tucked in her arms and a smile on her face. Odysseus looked at the tiny kitten and said, "How about we get sleeping beauty back into her bed, least her parents worry about where she is."

Mew made a sound, but stopped suddenly, hiss at something that was behind Odysseus. Odysseus turned and frowned, seeing a figure running towards them, not running, sprinting, they were sprinting fast too.

"Looks like trouble," Odysseus said standing up and kicking the log out the way, covering Heidi up with the blanket, "Trouble indeed."

Odysseus watched as the figure came closer, and suddenly stop, only mere feet away from where the group was situated. Odysseus tilted his head to the side and smirked, "So, what's a night walker doing out here? Nothing much over here but some sand and a few crabs."

The figure let out a deep chuckle and said, "Oh, so you're one of them, I'm surprised that you can breathe without your gills, you overgrown goldfish."

"I can do a whole lot more as well, what are you doing in my neck of the sands, nightwalker?" Odysseus asked the man.

"None of your concern, the girl is all I want, and I'll be taking her, even if you don't want her to be taken."

"You'll have to go through me," Odysseus said walking past Heidi's slumbering form, "And for the record, I'm no goldfish, I'm more of a shark."

"We shall see," The nightwalker said, flashing lethal fangs, before charging at Odysseus, who smiled and charged at the night walker as well.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Odysseus let out a tired sigh, placing Heidi in her bed, covering her with the soft, thin blankets that covered the canopy bed. he looked over to the tiny kitten, who sat on Heidi's sleeping form, watching Odysseus intently. Odysseus smiled and ran a finger over the tiny head, earning a purr, "What? You've never seen a merman walk on two legs before?"

"Mew," Mew replied curling up on Heidi, looking at Odysseus.

"Well," Odysseus said to Mew, walking over to the window, "Watch over her, okay? She's too important to be taken by crazed nightwalkers."

Mew sniffed the air and then went to sleep. Odysseus chuckled and said, "silly cat…"before leaving the large bedroom, Odysseus had a nightwalker's body to deal with."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Of all the creatures for her to attract," The Queen of the nightwalkers muttered, looking outside her window, "She attracts an extremely powerful merman, to think, this would have been an easy thing, but it's not, and with the connections this merman has, he'll have an army behind him if I try something to Gaia."

"No matter," General Smith said with a chuckle walking up to the slender woman, "I have the world's largest and strongest army, if anything, that punk should be worried about us."

"So you say…..so you say….." The Queen said looking back out the window.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"What were you two doing last night in the gazebo?" Heidi asked Stephanie and Ranger over breakfast the next morning, "You two were making loud noises and they were kind of freaky…"

Stephanie choked on her toast, Ranger had to hit her back hard, to dislodge the stuck food. They turned to Heidi, who was smiling as innocently as possible, looking at the couple. Ranger turned to Stephanie and said in hush voice, "She doesn't know about sex….I thought Scarlet would have told her!"

"Well, maybe Scarlet was waiting for us to tell her, we are her parents after all," Stephanie said sipping her coffee, "Besides, she's at that age, if we don't tell her, she'll learn from some lecher, and we wouldn't want that, right?"

Ranger's eyebrows twitched as he thought about it, no, he wouldn't want that. Ranger turned to Heidi, who sat across from them, her head tilted to the side, like a curious puppy, "Heidi, I think it's time we gave you the talk."

"The talk," Heidi said tilting her head to the other side, "The talk…okay! So talk!"

Ranger shook his head and said, "It's a conversation about serious topic, I hope you're not going to be busy for a bit, you'll have a lot of questions…."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

_"Are you nervous, little one?" A soft musical voice asked, amusement in their voice, "You shouldn't be, there are plenty of Guardians, you are not alone."_

_"Yes, you told me so, Gaia, but I am the only new Guardian, and the only human one!" A woman said beside the deity, as they walked down a dimly lit hallway in the Tree of Life, "You said it yourself, what if the other Guardians do not accept me?"_

_"They will," Gaia said, turning to the small woman beside her, a smile on her face, "You need not worry about them rejecting you, you are one of my children now, you'll never feel the pain of rejection again."_

_The woman smiled and grabbed Gaia's hand, earning a soft smile, "I am glad, Gaia, that you choose me, to be a new Guardian."_

_"I am glad too, now come, the others wait for me to present you." Gaia said leading the small woman to the main hall that resided in the Tree of Life."_

"My dear, you seem lost in your thoughts, are you okay?" The woman looked up from her clasped hands, to look at the man staring outside the window, looking at the Tree of Life that loomed on the horizon.

"Yes, I am fine, I was just thinking about Gaia," The woman said softly, getting up and going over to the man, wrapping her arms around his waist, "Soon, she will be at the age where she and the tree can become one."

"And when they become one, they will need a master, and I shall become the new master and rid the world of these useless creatures, and turn it into the Utopia that it's meant to be!" The man said, turning to the woman and hugging her, "With you at my side as my Queen, as my equal."

"Yes, I cannot wait, my love," The woman said with a soft smile, staring down at the hand that once held Gaia's hand, the hand that had never once led her astray, "I cannot wait…."

TBC...

If you could take a few seconds and leave a humble girl a review, that would be great, please, thank you! :D


	17. Summer of Love (Pt 4)

Chapter 17, sorry that i've neglected this story, but my full attention is going to be on this, and on Madam, which I am aiming to finish in August! Enjoy!

Summer of Love (Pt 4)

_Fishy Love_

"I'm never ever having sex!" Heidi wailed, from where she hid in the coat closet, "Ugh! It sounds so horrible!"

Stephanie turned to Ranger, motioning for him to say something. What was he supposed to say in this situation? You'll be singing a different tune when you first get it? he never had this problem before with sex, he lost his virginity at age 13, and it all seemed to click from there. However, this was his child, his daughter, and he sure as hell didn't want her out there having sex, period. Hell, he didn't want her dating at all, period.

"Once you're a little bit older," Ranger said through the door of the closet, "You'll understand it all, don't worry about sex, you're a bit too young to be thinking about it, look how about this, we won't talk about the S-word, and we'll just enjoy our summer, okay?"

"Okay…" Heidi said, coming out the closet, holding Mew to her chest, "I never want to think about that stuff again!"

"Good," Stephanie said, hugging Heidi to her, "Now, what are we going to do today?"

"I don't know about you two," Carlos said patting Heidi on the head, "But, I have to go to Rangeman Miami, and handle some IT stuff, you two can join me, or you can stay here and enjoy your day."

Heidi looked over to Stephanie and said, "I don't know about you, but I want to spend the day at the beach! I wanna build a sand castle."

"The princess has spoken," Stephanie said with a smile, looking over to Ranger, "We're staying in today to catch some sun and to build sand castles."

"Sounds like a plan, I'll be sure to join you both, when I can shake the It guys off of me," Ranger said with a smile, kissing Stephanie on her lips, before kissing Heidi on her head, "Behave for Stephanie, okay, Quedria?"

"Always, Daddy!" Heidi said, hugging her father, "Have fun today, if not, we'll have twice as fun, just for you."

"It's nice to know you're thinking about me," Ranger said, before he left the beach house.

Stephanie turned to Heidi and said, "Well, let's go and get dressed for the beach, I'm sure Mew would prefer to stay in the house, instead of going to the beach."

"I'm sure he'll like having the bed to himself," Heidi said, placing Mew on the floor, watching the kitten bound up the stairs, "Okay! Beach time!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Heidi smiled over to Stephanie, showing off the large sand castle she built close by to the lounging woman, "Mommy, come and look at the castle I built! It's huge, too bad we can't live in it, right?"

Stephanie got up from the sand lounge chair, and walked over to the huge sand castle that Heidi had built. The girl spent hours working on it, going into great details with columns, arches and towers. She didn't have much tools to work with, just the plastic buckets and shovels they got at the store yesterday. All in all, Stephanie couldn't find fault with the results, it looked damn good.

"Hey that's great work you did there, Heidi," Stephanie said watching Heidi dig out a trench around the castle, "Oh yeah, a moat, right?"

"Yep," Heidi said smoothing the cool damp sand, "I have to get a lot of water for the moat too, most of the time, the sand soaks it up like a sponge…"

"Yep, I remember going to beach, when I was younger, and I use to build castles with my father, we always tried to make a moat but…" Stephanie faltered, watching white leaves fall around them, going right through the earth.

"You're going to have to get use to the leaves," Heidi said softly, as she built up the sides of the moat, "They're harmless you know…"

"Why do they fall?" Stephanie asked Heidi, sinking into the sand beside the girl, who was busy with the moat.

"I don't know, how many stars are out in space? Why aren't there more planets like earth?" Heidi asked, looking up to Stephanie, her eyes soft, "There's some things I don't think we'll ever know, Mommy, maybe, just maybe, the leaves fall, because they can…let's leave it like that, yeah?"

"Yeah," Stephanie said, leaning back in the sand, watching the white leaves fall around them..

"Come help me with the front of the castle, Mommy," Heidi said with a smile, "I want to make a garden for the sand castle!"

"Geez, a garden?" Stephanie asked, getting up to help Heidi find seashells and seaweed, "We have to make sure that Ranger sees this, okay?"

Stephanie sat up quickly, as an acoustic guitar began to play. They were the only house in this beach area, so it couldn't be the neighbors. Well then who was it? Stephanie turned and looked down the beach and watched as a person walked up the beach, strumming his fingers on the strings of a guitar. Stephanie turned to Heidi, but she could only let out a yelp, as Heidi got up and went running towards the person.

"Heidi!" Stephanie said getting up and running after the girl, "Heidi! Wait, you don't know that person!"

"Yes I do!" Heidi squealed, running to the person a skip in her step, "Odysseus!"

Well, maybe Heidi did know the person, Stephanie mused, watching the person stop playing, and walking more quickly up to Heidi. Stephanie had to do a double take; Odysseus was fucking hot! Holy shit, they sure as hell don't make them like that anymore. Where did Heidi have a chance to meet this fellow?

"Odysseus, come meet my Mommy!" Heidi said, pulling Odysseus over to Stephanie, "Mommy, this is Odysseus, Odysseus, this is my Mommy."

"Oh…" Stephanie said feeling a bit flustered, "Hello, Odysseus, I've never heard about you, from my daughter."

"Oh…" Odysseus said picking up Stephanie's hand and kissing it, making her giggle, "I apologize, but I met her at the bookstore yesterday-"

"And he saved my life!" Heidi said with a squeal, wrapping her arms around Odysseus's arm, "He saved me in the rip currents."

Stephanie turned to Odysseus, who smiled and nodded his head, shrugging his shoulders, "Oh, you did, well, come along then, anyone who saves my child, is welcomed into our home."

"Wait!" Heidi said, pausing the two, "We have to finish the castle, right? So, Odysseus, you're in charge of getting the water for the moat, and Mommy and I will make the front garden, we should make a fountain as well, and a three car garage!"

"Three car garage?" Odysseus asked, looking at Stephanie, who shrugged her shoulders, "Well, we better make it a three door garage for boats, we should stick with the beach theme, right?"

"Oh yes," Heidi said, as he trio went back to the sand castle, "Afterwards, we should find something to eat, I'm quite hungry."

"Oh, well, not only can I play the guitar, but I am also a great cook, I'll cook you and your mother something wonderful," Odysseus said, making Heidi and Stephanie sigh, "I'll have to go out and get the ingredients, but it won't take me too long to get the flounder."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Odysseus, I can't handle another bite," Stephanie sighed, pushing the plate away from her, "That was wonderful, holy shit, you weren't lying when you said you could cook."

Heidi smiled at Odysseus and said, "Too bad Daddy isn't here, he's missing out on our fun time, I don't know about you, but I go for some reading on the beach, I'll be back, I gotta go get my book!"

Heidi got up from patio table, and ran inside the house. Stephanie got up and with the help of Odysseus, cleaned up the table and put their dirty dishes in the kitchen. Stephanie paused, turned to Odysseus and asked, "So, what were you doing out and about, walking on this lonely strip of beach."

"Well," Odysseus said with a nervous smile, "I just wanted to see Heidi, and check on her is all, Well, I'm sure she didn't tell you, but, uh…she was out on the beach with me last night, and we were playing some songs and-"

"You two were what?" Ranger asked from his spot in front of the garage door, "You had my daughter on the beach last night, so that's where she snuck off too."

"Oh, she snuck off," Odysseus said, "Oh, I would have bought her back here, if that was the case, honest."

Ranger walked over to Odysseus and gave him a once over. He didn't seem to be like that type to advantage of a naïve teenager. Plus, the way Stephanie loomed over him, maybe he wasn't a bad kid, but still.

"I hope you escorted her home, after you had her up at all hours of the night," Ranger stated, looking at Odysseus, who nodded his head and stuck his hand out.

"My name is Odysseus, sir, pleasure to meet you," Odysseus said smiling, "Heidi and Stephanie told me you were away at work, glad to see you back."

"He's a wonderful cook," Stephanie said, looping her arm with Odysseus, "And he's such a gentleman too, he plays the guitar."

"Daddy!" Heidi said running up to Ranger and hugging him, holding the book 'Yeats,' close to her, "Daddy! I see you've met Odysseus, he's the one that saved me from drowning!"

Ranger's eyebrow rose, and he turned to Odysseus who smiled and nodded his head, "Oh did you, son?"

"Yes, I couldn't let a maiden die," Odysseus said with a smile, and a flush, "Uh…I'm glad she's alright."

Ranger grabbed Odysseus's hand and asked, "So, what are you doing for the rest of the day? I'm grilling steaks tonight, would you like to stay?"

"I would enjoy that, sir," Odysseus said, before Heidi smiled and dragged him out of the house, "Woah! Hang on Heidi, the beach will still be there, waiting for us!"

Stephanie turned to Ranger and said, with a coy smile, "We don't have steaks….."

"I got some from the butcher in Miami, they're in a cooler, in the Cayenne," Ranger said with a smile, leading Stephanie into the garage, "Odysseus, what a funny name, but he's a nice fellow, right?"

"Oh yes, and when you're done getting the steaks out, you have to see the castle we built, Heidi spent hours on it, and would quite disappointed If you didn't look at it!"

"Well, I don't want to make my child sad then, right?" Ranger asked, walking over to Stephanie and leading her outside, where the two teenagers were playing in the sand.

"That's a nice looking sand castle you got there," Ranger said, walking over to Heidi and Odysseus, "A moat, and….is that a garage for your….boat?"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Hum….hum…hum…" The Queen of the nightwalkers sighed, watching the four play on the beach, "I really, really want to snap that merman's neck in two, for killing my second best servant…"

"My Queen, you mustn't attack them now, soon, the blood moon will be upon us, and then...we'll attack them, and take Gaia for our own uses!" A nightwalker said making the Queen shudder with excitement, "We'll be unstoppable…and they're so far away from anyone, no one will hear their screams…"

"We will feast on their blood, and watch the life fade from their eyes…" The Queen giggled, watching as the child played in the ocean with the merman, "And Gaia, and the tree of life will be ours to take over the world! A night utopia…imagine it! and the humans, nothing but livestock for us!"

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Heidi tells me that you two are getting married," Odysseus said, as he ate dinner, "Congratulations, the Key West is a great place to get married, the sand here is so pristine, and the water is so blue, I'll have you know that the waters here, are the cleanest and brightest in all of the Keys, which is why I love coming here from time to time."

Stephanie smiled, sipping her wine, watching Heidi get lost with what Odysseus told them. Had she ever have that look in her eyes? The look of pure adornment and love? Stephanie was not going to lie, she was truly glad that she could be apart of Heidi's life, during her teenage years. Her teenage years might have sucked, but she and Ranger would make sure that nothing horrible happened to her. Heidi would have the best, and by the looks of things, Odysseus would not be one of the good things in her teenage years.

"Look," Stephanie said to Ranger, watching Heidi and Odysseus converse, "Look at the way they look at each other, they look so…"

"Summer love?" Ranger asked with a soft smile, "I'm glad Heidi will experience it, and I'm glad that Heidi will experience it with a gentleman."

"Daddy," Heidi said with a smile, looking over to Stephanie and Ranger, "Would you mind if Odysseus and I spent the day together tomorrow? "

Ranger smiled and said, "Well…let me think about it…." making Heidi say, "Please, please, please…." Giving Ranger a face, "Alright, have fun tomorrow, you two, where are you two going?"

"The boardwalk in town," Odysseus said, a big smile on his face, "They have a boardwalk carnival there, and I know Heidi and I will enjoy it."

"I know I will," Heidi said with a giggle, her face flushed, "I uh..well, I guess we're done here, I'll clean up the table!"

Heidi smiled and got up to clear the table. Odysseus smiled and said, "I'll help too."

Stephanie and Ranger got up and walked over to the gazebo area, and sat down on the sofa, watching Heidi and Odysseus chatter.

"I like him," Ranger said earning a smile from Stephanie, "I like him a lot, I wish I had been half the man Odysseus is, back when I was his age."

"What were you like, as a child?" Stephanie asked, looking up at Ranger, watching him grimace, "What's wrong?"

"I was a little hellion, as a child," Ranger said softly, looking down at Stephanie, "I ran the streets, Babe, I joined a gang and everything. I use to stole cars, rob houses, the works. I bet that kid over hasn't even been suspended from school. If it wasn't for the fact that a judge told me to join the military, or go to Juvie, I don't know where I'd be now."

"Oh," Stephanie said lifting herself up to look at Ranger, "Well, I'm glad you're not god knows where now."

"So am I, Babe," Ranger said before he kissed her and looked over to the two teenagers, "If I got a chance to do it all over again, I think I wouldn't take the chance."

"Why not?" Stephanie asked, looking at Ranger who smiled and looked down at Stephanie.

"Because, I doubt I'd see you, Heidi, or anyone else who has impacted my life." Ranger said, hugging Stephanie to him, "Babe, Have I told you that I love you today?"

"Nope, tell me," Stephanie said softly, leaning back up to kiss Ranger.

"I love you, Babe."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Enjoy yourselves," Stephanie said to Heidi and Odysseus, as the two walked out the front door of the beach house, "Odysseus, look out for her, don't let anything happen to her!"

"Okay, I won't," Odysseus said, helping Heidi in his jeep, "Come along madam, the carnival awaits."

Heidi waved goodbye to Stephanie and Ranger, before Odysseus pulled out the driveway and was going down the road. Stephanie sighed and turned to Ranger, "We have the house to ourselves, what should we do?"

"I was thinking maybe we something on….the couch, the counter, the bathtub….." Ranger said, kissing Stephanie, and leading her back into the house.

"Ranger, you lecher…."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"I've never been to a carnival before," Heidi said to Odysseus, as they drove into town, "Can you tell me what they're like?"

"Well," Odysseus said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, "Well…there's rides, lots of fatty foods, and stand where you play games for prizes. I think you're going to enjoy it, and at night, there's going to be a fireworks show."

"Oh, I hope we have a great time!" Heidi said clapping her hands, looking over to Odysseus who smiled as they drove into the town.

"I know we will," Odysseus said as he parked in the public parking area that was close to boardwalk, "Come on, we have all day to have fun!"

They spent most of the day enjoying the boardwalk and riding the rides that they had to offer. By the time 2 PM came around, the two were sitting at the end of the main pier, eating junk food.

"Thank you for winning this big turtle for me," Heidi said cuddling the large blue and green stuffed turtle, "I love him."

"No problem, when you pointed it out among all the teddy bears, I knew you wanted it," Odysseus said tossing the empty paper container in the trash close by to where they sat, "Ball tossing is such an easy game to play."

Heidi's face flushed and she said, "Um…thank you for taking me out, Odysseus, spending time with you, it's wonderful…"

"You're quite welcome," Odysseus said leaning close to Heidi, causing the girl to shudder, "Heidi, have I ever told you, that your eyes are so pretty?"

"No…" Heidi sighed, leaning closer to Odysseus, "Odysseus, why do you make my heart flutter?"

"Is it a good flutter?" Odysseus asked, placing a hand on Heidi's hand, "I hope it is…"

"Mhmm," Heidi said, leaning her head up, getting closer to Odysseus's face, "It sure is…"

As they leaned closer to kiss, there was a loud crash, making Heidi and Odysseus pull apart, and look to the noise. Heidi yelped as a group of men all dressed in black made their way to the end of the pier, close to them. Odysseus pulled Heidi up saying, "Heidi, come over here…" pulling Heidi to the end of the pier, their backs hitting the metal railing. Heidi grabbed Odysseus's arm saying, "Odysseus….."

"Hello Gaia," the leader of the men in black said, once they were in front of the two teenagers, "The Queen has told us to wait to grab you, but….we've decided that you are better suited with the Queen, right now. So, if you may, come with us…."

"No!" Heidi said, gripping Odysseus's arm tighter, "Leave me alone, I won't go with you, your queen hurt my daddy!"

"You don't have a choice, sweetheart…" The man said, walking closer to the two, "Come on, Gaia, time to accept your destiny…."

"Darn nightwalkers…" Odysseus said, making Heidi turn to look at him, "Pardon me, but….we shall not be going with you, we'll be taking the other exit."

"Other exit?" Heidi asked, before Heidi let out a cry, as Odysseus grabbed her and pushed them both back, making them fall over the railing of the pier, and into the violent churning waters below.

Heidi gasped as the waves forced Heidi under the water. Odysseus had let go of her, and now she was fighting to get to the surface, before she drowned. Heidi began to paddle up, but a strong hand around her waist stopped her. Heidi turned, seeing Odysseus behind her. Heidi motioned to Odysseus that she needed to get to the surface, but Odysseus smiled and kissed Heidi gently on the lips, stunning the girl. For a moment, Heidi could do nothing but stare at Odysseus, who cupped her chin gently, but then, she remembered that she needed to go to the surface. Heidi grabbed at her neck and made a motion that she was choking, but she paused, feeling ridges on her neck. Heidi gently felt them and yelped, startled, gills, she had gills!

"I have gills!" Heidi said, turning to Odysseus, who nodded her head, "How?!"

"Because…." Odysseus said with a smile, "look behind me, silly."

Heidi, with pretty damn good eyesight, looked behind Odysseus, and saw that, instead of legs, Odysseus had one dark blue tail fin. Heidi looked up at Odysseus and said, "You're a mermaid?!"

"More like a merman…." Odysseus said, before he leaned forward and kissed Heidi deeply, "You know, when a merman kisses you, you can breath underwater."

"Oh..."

TBC…

(Reviews are loved, I love your feedback!)


End file.
